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Mitchell Magazine Spring 2019

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MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 1


2 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />

SPRING <strong>2019</strong><br />

4 From the Dean’s Desk<br />

6 Catching up with Cindy Du<br />

8 A Lifetime of Service<br />

10 Making an Impact by Partnering<br />

Research and Practice<br />

12 Ask the Expert: Retirement Planning 101<br />

13 Mastering Health Care: A New MBA Concentration<br />

14 <strong>Mitchell</strong> Ambassador Class of <strong>2019</strong><br />

17 Scholars Night <strong>2019</strong><br />

21 <strong>2019</strong> <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business Alumni Fellows<br />

24 Hey Google…<br />

26 You Don’t Know Jack... Yet<br />

28 Game. Set. Business. USA Tennis<br />

30 Focusing Afar<br />

31 Alumni Class Notes<br />

32 <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business Alumni Society<br />

34 Three People Three Questions<br />

35 Executive Advisory Council<br />

36 Center & Departmental Advisory Councils<br />

38 Selected Faculty Publications<br />

39 Invest in the College<br />

ON THE COVER: Dean Bob G. Wood with the <strong>2019</strong> class of<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> Ambassadors. Congratulations to Sabrina Garrett,<br />

Dylan Hooper, Owen Hicks, Emily Viglione, Baxley Stokes,<br />

and Taylor Hamlin.<br />

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2<br />

A PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA<br />

MITCHELL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS<br />

BOB G. WOOD | DEAN<br />

EMMY RIESKE | ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING<br />

DIANA NICHOLS | DIRECTOR CREATIVE SERVICES<br />

ELIZABETH GELINEAU, SETH LAUBINGER, SHELBY GUIDRY | PHOTOGRAPHY<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 3


FROM THE DEAN’S DESK<br />

This spring has been a whirlwind<br />

of strategic planning activities<br />

and AACSB accreditation visits.<br />

To prepare, I took the time to reread<br />

Jim Collins’ Good to Great: Why Some<br />

Companies Make the Leap...and Some<br />

Don’t. A very good book—take the time<br />

to read or reread it.<br />

From the opening chapter:<br />

“Good is the enemy of great. And that<br />

is one of the key reasons why we have so<br />

little that becomes great. We don’t have<br />

great schools, principally because we<br />

have good schools. We don’t have great<br />

government, principally because we have<br />

good government. Few people attain great<br />

lives, in large part because it is just so<br />

easy to settle for a good life.”<br />

The third chapter discusses the<br />

need to have the right people in place<br />

before attempting the transformation<br />

from good to great. I’ll take that a step<br />

further—before attempting the planning<br />

process for the move (the strategic plan),<br />

it is CRITICALLY important to look<br />

realistically at who the organization is.<br />

In my experience, groups often either<br />

overlook this step or, more to their peril,<br />

refuse to acknowledge who they are.<br />

Three examples of missteps:<br />

• ONE OF MY SCHOOLS replaced its<br />

senior research officer on a regular basis.<br />

About every other one came in with the<br />

goal of transforming the university into<br />

“<br />

Well,<br />

”<br />

who are you?<br />

– THE WHO<br />

a Carnegie R1 University (universities at any cost” strategy—the siren calls<br />

with very high research activity.) Every from the increase in tuition revenue and<br />

effort failed. It is not that the faculty the cache of being a “large” institution<br />

were, for the most part, unable to produce are hard to resist. All recruitment<br />

scholarship at that level. Rather, it was efforts focused on a goal of increasing<br />

the fact that the research office failed enrollment on an annual basis. To<br />

to provide the needed tools (research meet the goal, entrance standards<br />

funding, research assistants, teaching were relaxed and a number of students<br />

and service time reductions, etc.)<br />

ill-prepared for college were admitted.<br />

necessary to make the transformation. Retention and graduation rates<br />

These efforts failed because the senior suffered as did the overall perception<br />

administrators didn’t consider the of university quality. Faculty morale<br />

faculty and the current environment. suffered—again, the administration<br />

• SENIOR ADMINISTRATION at failed to consider the factors that work<br />

another institution made the decision to to define a university’s personality.<br />

pursue a strategy to raise the recognition At the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College, we are<br />

and reputation of the university from focused on the transformation from<br />

a regional recognition to national. The good to great. We are not there; however,<br />

business college dean was tasked to lead we are much closer than we were and<br />

that effort. Business faculty members are moving in the right direction. I am<br />

embraced the idea and raised their game extremely fortunate to be surrounded by<br />

significantly. Only one small mistake… an excellent group of faculty and staff.<br />

although the business college faculty These educators are dedicated to making<br />

supported the strategy, the faculty at the a difference in the lives of our students.<br />

other colleges were happy and content I get much of the credit given for the<br />

with the way things were. The president change in the College, but the faculty and<br />

subsequently made the decision that “all staff are the driving force. We continue<br />

colleges should be equal” and, rather our quest.<br />

than work to move the other colleges Wishing you a great summer. See you<br />

forward, reigned in the efforts of the in the fall.<br />

business school. The president failed to<br />

Bob Wood, Dean<br />

take into account who the faculty were.<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business<br />

• I ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED senior<br />

administration that pursues the “grow<br />

4 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


BY THE NUMBERS<br />

THE VITA PROGRAM<br />

15<br />

$50,000<br />

85<br />

$20,807<br />

Students assisted in tax preparation for low income families<br />

Tax returns prepared<br />

More than<br />

200<br />

students<br />

certified on<br />

Bloomberg<br />

Terminals<br />

$<br />

98 scholarships<br />

totaling almost<br />

$400,000<br />

awarded in <strong>2019</strong><br />

245<br />

undergraduate<br />

27<br />

graduate<br />

degrees<br />

awarded in<br />

2017-18<br />

Amount taxpayers saved in tax preparation fees<br />

$105,272<br />

TOTAL NUMBER OF<br />

PHD STUDENTS<br />

41<br />

Tax refunds processed<br />

Earned income credits for low income families<br />

$ $<br />

$ $<br />

113<br />

internships<br />

for credit:<br />

$ $<br />

$ $<br />

ACCOUNTING,<br />

ECONOMICS &<br />

FINANCE<br />

32<br />

MANAGEMENT<br />

39<br />

MARKETING,<br />

QUANTITATIVE<br />

METHODS AND<br />

INTERNATIONAL<br />

BUSINESS<br />

42<br />

27<br />

Internships<br />

and Co-ops with<br />

Austal USA<br />

10,601<br />

ALUMNI<br />

from coast to coast<br />

and nine states<br />

$ $<br />

1,060<br />

undergraduate<br />

94<br />

graduate<br />

business<br />

students<br />

enrolled in<br />

<strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

“The VITA program helped me learn<br />

how to deal with unique cases and<br />

figure out the appropriate course<br />

of action to take, how to deal with<br />

clients in a face-to-face, intimate,<br />

and sensitive setting, how to have<br />

confidence in my team’s professional<br />

judgment, and how to contribute to a<br />

highly functional professional team.<br />

This experience will help shape my<br />

knowledge base, professionalism,<br />

and skills that I have to offer to my<br />

employers of the future. I sincerely<br />

appreciate the opportunity to<br />

participate in the program.”<br />

—CALEB GRACE, CLASS OF <strong>2019</strong><br />

$676,353<br />

UNDER MANAGEMENT<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 5


Tell us about Cindy.<br />

Born and raised in China, I came<br />

to the U.S. in 1995 to attend graduate<br />

school. In 1997, I graduated from the<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business with a<br />

Master of Accounting degree and have<br />

been working in corporate accounting<br />

ever since. My experience ranges from<br />

startups to Fortune 500 members.<br />

Currently, I am serving as CFO for<br />

Cargo Chief, a transportation technology<br />

company in Silicon Valley.<br />

CATCHING UP WITH<br />

CINDY DU<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> recently caught up with Cindy Du, a<br />

MAcc graduate currently living in California. As a native<br />

of China, Cindy completed the MCOB MAcc degree<br />

and never looked back. She currently serves as CFO of<br />

Cargo Chief in Silicon Valley.<br />

Why accounting? How have your<br />

positions in the accounting field<br />

changed?<br />

Originally, I picked accounting<br />

because I thought that it would be<br />

relatively easy to find a job. The more<br />

I learned about accounting, the more<br />

I liked it. The double entry system is<br />

simple but powerful. I learned not to get<br />

upset when the numbers did not add up;<br />

rather, I looked deeper into the details<br />

knowing that the numbers will always<br />

balance in the end.<br />

As I advanced in my career, I began<br />

to focus on corporate accounting. I<br />

learned to accurately present historical<br />

financial ratios and to accurately project<br />

future ratios. Accountants not only need<br />

to have a profound knowledge about<br />

GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting<br />

Principles) but also need to be involved<br />

in the business. Being a CFO, I really<br />

enjoy not only understanding how the<br />

business works but also helping to make<br />

the business run better.<br />

How did you end up on the West<br />

Coast?<br />

Following graduation, I worked<br />

in Chicago for five years. I worked<br />

with companies such as McDonald<br />

Corporation and Molex. I subsequently<br />

moved to Silicon Valley in 2002. I was<br />

eager for new ideas, new technology,<br />

and a new way of doing business. The<br />

blossoming of new technologies is what<br />

first attracted me to Silicon Valley.<br />

Silicon Valley reminds me of Florence<br />

6 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


ALUMNI Q&A<br />

“What has shaped me most is my own failures.<br />

The deeper the hurt, the more I learn.”<br />

during the Renaissance; I did not want<br />

to miss this opportunity!<br />

How did you first get involved with<br />

the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business?<br />

Why did you choose the College?<br />

I found the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College in a U.S.<br />

college catalog while in China. I was<br />

attracted by the beautiful campus and<br />

beaches near the town. I came to the U.S.<br />

with only $3 in my pocket. The graduate<br />

assistantship from the College helped<br />

me to finish my study. The education I<br />

received has helped me advance my career<br />

for all these years.<br />

As a business professional, what<br />

sort of trends do you see? How<br />

do you see the international<br />

relationships across countries<br />

changing over the next five years?<br />

Accounting hasn’t seen much<br />

innovation since the creation of doubleentry<br />

bookkeeping. On the other<br />

hand, technology and globalization<br />

have changed how accountants work.<br />

Accountants have transitioned from the<br />

10-column worksheet to Lotus 123 to<br />

Excel to various Enterprise Resource<br />

Planning (ERP) systems and now must<br />

embrace artificial intelligence (AI). New<br />

graduates must stay current on how new<br />

technology can improve work efficiency<br />

and impact their career.<br />

Almost every company I worked for is<br />

international in scope. I believe this trend<br />

will continue. New accounting graduates<br />

will most likely be required to work<br />

with International Financial Reporting<br />

Standard (IFRS), foreign tax laws and<br />

regulations, international mergers and<br />

acquisitions, and other multinational<br />

transactions. Another trend in the<br />

marketplace is the opening of U.S.<br />

subsidiaries by foreign corporations and<br />

their acquisition of U.S. companies. New<br />

graduates have an equal chance to work<br />

for a U.S. headquartered company with<br />

foreign subsidiaries or the U.S. subsidiary<br />

of a foreign multinational.<br />

What do you do when you aren’t<br />

working? What might someone be<br />

surprised to know about you?<br />

I am married with a 6-year old daughter. I<br />

spend most of my non-working time with<br />

my family. We love all outdoor activities,<br />

from the shore to mountains, including<br />

rock climbing and winter sports. I have<br />

climbed to the summit of a 20,000-foot<br />

mountain and scuba dived to more than<br />

100 feet below the ocean.<br />

Tell me about some of the people<br />

you’ve met or who have influenced<br />

you on your journey.<br />

From professors to managers and<br />

co-workers to staff, many people have<br />

influenced my journey, but what has<br />

shaped me most is my own failures. The<br />

deeper the hurt, the more I learn. Always<br />

remember not to be beaten down by your<br />

failure; learn from it and grow from it.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 7


A Lifetime<br />

of Service<br />

MAJOR GENERAL MIKE SUMRALL<br />

U.S. ARMY RETIRED<br />

8 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


ALUMNI FEATURE<br />

Retired Maj. Gen. Mike H. Sumrall<br />

is a local; he was born and spent<br />

his formative years on Bienville<br />

Avenue in Mobile. Before attending the<br />

University of South Alabama, Sumrall<br />

attended McGill-Toolen Catholic High<br />

School. One of his high school classmates<br />

(a “great all-around guy”) was musician<br />

Jimmy Buffett. He has fond memories<br />

of high school football games at Ladd-<br />

Peebles Stadium; occasionally, Alabama<br />

would open their season against<br />

Mississippi State at Ladd-Peebles.<br />

When asked why he chose South,<br />

Sumrall said, “South Alabama was the<br />

perfect fit for my situation. I wanted to<br />

remain in the Mobile area and work a<br />

part-time job while attending school.<br />

South was relatively small when I was<br />

a student and was a nice fit for my goals<br />

and objectives.” Even though South was<br />

a newly minted university at the time, he<br />

still thought it stood out from the others<br />

because of its excellent staff and faculty.<br />

Coupled with the new facilities and small<br />

classes, the choice was obvious.<br />

South gave Sumrall the opportunity<br />

to develop an excellent educational<br />

foundation for all of the challenges<br />

and opportunities that would present<br />

themselves in his future. “Even today, I<br />

can remember specific things I learned<br />

from the professors and how they helped<br />

me understand and work out issues.”<br />

He does regret waiting until his senior<br />

year to take history. Professor Curtis<br />

“brought history to life” and he wished<br />

that he could have taken more courses<br />

with him. He also enjoyed Dr. Otto’s<br />

economics courses and has used many of<br />

his teaching points throughout his career.<br />

Being a student at South was a<br />

wonderful experience for him in so many<br />

ways. At the time, he did not fully realize<br />

the value of the diversified curriculum,<br />

but he clearly does now. When recalling<br />

his experience, he said, “The classes were<br />

challenging but a lot of fun. I was able to<br />

be a part of the early growth of South and<br />

enjoyed being involved in the<br />

development of the many traditions.”<br />

Sumrall also worked part-time for Dixie<br />

Leasing; one of his fraternity brothers<br />

who worked with him now owns the<br />

company. He participated in many of<br />

the extracurricular activities and made<br />

lifelong friends as a student. He also<br />

enrolled in ROTC; his instructors laid the<br />

cornerstone for what turned out to be a<br />

long and storied military career.<br />

Following graduation, Sumrall pursued<br />

a dual-track career — operating small<br />

businesses in the Mobile area and<br />

serving as a member of the Alabama<br />

National Guard. It became obvious that<br />

his calling was military service so he<br />

entered active duty with the Army. In<br />

that capacity, he served in Germany, the<br />

Middle East, and multiple locations in the<br />

United States including the U.S. Central<br />

Command ultimately rising to the rank<br />

of major general assigned to the Office of<br />

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and<br />

the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.<br />

He retired from the Army as a major<br />

general and elected to stay in the<br />

Washington, D.C., area. He is currently<br />

the executive director in the office of the<br />

chairman of a government contracting<br />

company that works primarily with<br />

the Veterans Administration. He works<br />

to help serve military members and<br />

veterans. When he is not working, his<br />

hobbies include traveling, boating, playing<br />

competitive croquet, and mountain<br />

biking.<br />

Sumrall is proud of the experiences<br />

he gained in the Army. “The Army did<br />

an excellent job of providing me with<br />

opportunities to increase both my civilian<br />

and military education and experiences.<br />

These credentials prepared me for roles<br />

of ever-increasing responsibility, and<br />

great jobs and promotions came my<br />

way as the result of the doors that were<br />

opened for me. Great mentors were<br />

always helping me be successful and<br />

prepared for future opportunities.”<br />

He advises students to seek out good<br />

mentors with whom you can share your<br />

goals and seek their help in positioning<br />

yourself to accomplish your goals.<br />

He is thankful for the time he spent<br />

at South, along with the lifelong friends<br />

he met as a student. The education<br />

he received at South provided him<br />

with a tremendous foundation for<br />

further studies and the ability to be<br />

successful while dealing with the many<br />

challenges and opportunities that he has<br />

experienced in his lifetime.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 9


MAKING AN IMPACT BY PARTNERING<br />

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE<br />

BY MICKEY SMITH<br />

Assistant Professor of Management,<br />

University of South Alabama<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business<br />

10 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


FACULTY FEATURE<br />

Success as an academic professional<br />

is largely defined by impact,<br />

and impact is mostly measured<br />

by research output (e.g., publications,<br />

citations). These are indicators that your<br />

research is advancing the academic world<br />

by creating new knowledge or shedding<br />

new light on old assumptions.<br />

Success as a business leader is very<br />

much dependent on the same thing –<br />

impact. Impact in the business world may<br />

be measured by returns, profit, and other<br />

various metrics, but it all stems from the<br />

idea of running an effective organization.<br />

Theoretically, impact in business-centered<br />

academic research and impact<br />

in real-world business should share a<br />

clear relationship. Unfortunately, there<br />

is always a gap between research and<br />

practice. One of my primary goals has<br />

been to bridge the gap between academia<br />

and practice by partnering with organizations<br />

to conduct high-quality research.<br />

Doing so creates a win-win for everyone<br />

involved. Business leaders get information<br />

relevant to their company and chief<br />

concerns, and I get access to invaluable<br />

data sources – employees.<br />

My research is focused on explaining<br />

employee and team performance – particularly<br />

through variables like personality,<br />

organizational climate, and involvement-based<br />

management. There is nothing<br />

quite as personable as personality,<br />

which, to me, makes it the quintessential<br />

starting point to understand how people<br />

interact with each other. I’ve studied both<br />

the brighter and darker sides of personality<br />

because both aspects are critical for<br />

understanding why people do the things<br />

they do.<br />

I have also conducted a great deal of<br />

research on the topics of high-involvement<br />

management and organizational<br />

climate. I really enjoy researching these<br />

topics because I can easily translate the<br />

things I learn in this research to effective<br />

business practices. Indeed, I have taken<br />

a great deal of information from my<br />

research into businesses and seen the<br />

practical impact it has.<br />

This is particularly true for my work<br />

in high-involvement management and<br />

climate. I have witnessed, first-hand,<br />

the added value of applying it within<br />

real-world contexts. I was involved with<br />

a major organizational change project<br />

with a nation-wide specialty treatment<br />

cancer hospital. Over an 18-month period,<br />

we led an organization-wide initiative<br />

to integrate high-involvement into the<br />

organization’s culture. During the project,<br />

we collected data to capture the success<br />

of the change and to build upon our<br />

understanding of high-involvement in the<br />

academic literature.<br />

It was indeed a win-win. The impact of<br />

the high-involvement intervention was a<br />

dramatic decrease in turnover and absenteeism<br />

along with a substantial increase<br />

in employee satisfaction and commitment<br />

to the organization – a win for the<br />

organization! The impact of the data<br />

collection was subsequent publications in<br />

top management journals – a win for the<br />

research team! I have been fortunate to<br />

have some of this research published in<br />

some of the premier academic journals in<br />

our field, such as Journal of Management,<br />

Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal<br />

of Business and Psychology, and the<br />

International Journal of Human Resource<br />

Management.<br />

I’ve also presented the results of this<br />

research at various regional, national,<br />

and international conferences. I am particularly<br />

excited about being able to present<br />

my work at the upcoming Congress<br />

of the European Association of Work and<br />

Organizational Psychology – the premier<br />

academic-practitioner association outside<br />

the U.S. It is in Turin, Italy this year.<br />

This is just one example of the true<br />

impact created by collaboration between<br />

academics and practitioners. However, I<br />

see it as a rallying cry for future partnerships<br />

between MCOB researchers and<br />

businesses in the area.<br />

As a management researcher, I conduct<br />

research on the human side of business.<br />

I joke with my students in my organizational<br />

behavior and human resources<br />

courses when I make the point that<br />

accounting and finance may seem like<br />

the most difficult courses they will take.<br />

Really, however, the numbers and the<br />

formulas don’t change. It’s easy once you<br />

learn them. People, though, that’s the<br />

difficult part of business, because they do<br />

vary and they do change!<br />

People, however, are also the most<br />

valuable part of businesses. We stand<br />

to learn so much more about effective<br />

business practices when we can actually<br />

study them in practice. I guess you could<br />

say that I have a chip on my shoulder.<br />

I see academic-practitioner divide as a<br />

challenge, not a hindrance, and collaboration<br />

is a way to overcome that challenge<br />

and bridge the divide. That would be the<br />

ultimate mark of impact – at least from<br />

my perspective.<br />

Outside of my work-life, I dedicate<br />

all my remaining faculties to my family.<br />

My wife, Megan, is a two-time graduate<br />

from the USA College of Nursing. She<br />

is a neonatal nurse-practitioner. We<br />

met while we were both undergraduate<br />

students here at the University of South<br />

Alabama. We have two sons, Francis (4)<br />

and Jackson (2), who keep us on our toes.<br />

Although it is certainly cliché, I do what I<br />

do for them.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 11


ASK THE EXPERT<br />

ASK THE EXPERT<br />

Doug Whitmore, Associate Vice President, Investment Officer<br />

Wells Fargo Advisors in Mobile, Alabama<br />

Retirement, a critical financial<br />

event<br />

Retirement planning is challenging,<br />

similar to putting together a jigsaw<br />

puzzle. The pieces are made to fit<br />

together, but some of the pieces have<br />

to be put in place first. We all want to<br />

retire comfortably, but finding a strategic<br />

balance between saving for retirement<br />

and addressing current critical financial<br />

needs takes a plan.<br />

Think of retirement planning as a<br />

simple three-step process made up<br />

of strategies that can help us create a<br />

timeline that works well at different<br />

stages of our lives. The first is to know<br />

where we are financially today. The<br />

second is to determine where we are<br />

going, and the third is to follow our<br />

individual plan.<br />

Where we stand today<br />

Setting the foundation for our plan<br />

starts with an assessment of our current<br />

financial picture. What are our assets<br />

and liabilities? What are our sources<br />

of retirement income? For younger<br />

workers, it can be difficult to determine<br />

how much income will be needed in<br />

retirement and how much their earnings<br />

will increase over their lifetime. These<br />

numbers will change over time so we<br />

recommend revisiting them frequently,<br />

especially as we get closer to retirement.<br />

A financial advisor can help identify goals<br />

and make them as realistic as possible.<br />

Take a look at the benefits available<br />

by your employer. If you have access to<br />

an employer-sponsored plan, consider<br />

making contributions at least as much<br />

as the match. The match can be “free”<br />

money and over time really adds up. As<br />

we age, the amount we save each year<br />

should increase. We should also look to<br />

different investment options in an effort<br />

to get the best benefit now and when we<br />

are in retirement.<br />

Plan To and Through Retirement<br />

What does retirement look like for<br />

you? We all want to maintain our<br />

standard of living in retirement. We<br />

also want to know we will have enough<br />

income to get us through those years.<br />

We often think about “when” we want<br />

to retire, but where do we want to<br />

live or what activities do we want to<br />

pursue? How long do we think we will<br />

be in retirement? Should we have a<br />

contingency plan for those unexpected<br />

critical financial events such as health<br />

problems or an unexpected early<br />

retirement?<br />

Once we have a clearer vision of what<br />

retirement would look like, we should<br />

start taking steps toward understanding<br />

potential tradeoffs. Planning for<br />

retirement will involve tradeoffs, some<br />

of these include saving less and spending<br />

more now or lowering our portfolio risk.<br />

These personal preferences should be<br />

included in planning discussions. We<br />

may want to retire a few years earlier<br />

than planned. This is possible, but what<br />

is the strategy for that? The strategy<br />

may be reducing retirement spending<br />

or saving more leading up to retirement<br />

but also could include taking on more<br />

investment risk.<br />

Revisit your plan regularly<br />

Now that we have a better<br />

understanding of where we are today<br />

and what retirement will look like,<br />

it is important to assess our current<br />

portfolio, additions we can make over<br />

time and what changes need to be made<br />

to achieve our goals. Unexpected events<br />

happen, this is why it’s important to<br />

revisit our primary goals and track our<br />

success toward those goals. If we set<br />

our timeline far enough out, navigating<br />

the critical wealth planning events such<br />

as education planning or charitable<br />

giving can be done with greater<br />

flexibility.<br />

Wherever you are in life, talk with<br />

a financial professional at least once a<br />

year, or whenever you face a significant<br />

life change. Remember, our lives are<br />

constantly changing!<br />

Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE<br />

Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank<br />

affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2018 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. CAR-0519-00394<br />

12 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


MASTERING HEALTHCARE<br />

BY USA HEALTH<br />

Healthcare is an ever-evolving<br />

industry. With new technologies<br />

being developed and regulations<br />

being constantly revised, leaders in the<br />

field must stay on top of the changes or be<br />

left behind.<br />

To meet these challenges, the University<br />

of South Alabama’s <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of<br />

Business and the College of Medicine have<br />

collaborated to provide a new learning<br />

opportunity for healthcare professionals.<br />

Starting in fall <strong>2019</strong>, the Master of<br />

Business Administration program will<br />

offer a concentration in healthcare<br />

leadership.<br />

According to Dr. Bob Wood, dean of the<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business, the program<br />

is designed to benefit professionals across<br />

the healthcare industry - those working<br />

in clinics and hospitals, private practice,<br />

public health, research scientists, and<br />

those currently in healthcare management<br />

positions. The curriculum emphasizes<br />

experiential learning with practical<br />

application.<br />

“Individuals completing the courses will<br />

be better prepared for the increasingly<br />

complex business environment and<br />

better positioned for challenges that they<br />

will face in more advanced managerial<br />

positions,” Dr. Wood said.<br />

The MBA is a flexible 30-credit-hour<br />

program, and the healthcare leadership<br />

concentration makes up nine of those<br />

credit hours in the form of three elective<br />

courses. Electives include topics<br />

such as U.S. Healthcare in the 21st<br />

Century, Healthcare Strategy, Revenue<br />

Cycle Management, and Leadership<br />

Development and Team-Building.<br />

“In healthcare, we have to adapt,” said<br />

Dr. John Marymont, vice president for<br />

medical affairs and dean of the College of<br />

Medicine, who earned an MBA in addition<br />

to his medical degree. “It’s important for<br />

healthcare leaders to have a foundation<br />

in business principles and the acumen to<br />

make well-informed decisions.”<br />

Dr. Marymont added, “I encourage<br />

our healthcare professionals, faculty,<br />

administrators and staff to take advantage<br />

of this new program to build skill sets that<br />

can be applied to their work within the<br />

College of Medicine and USA Health.”<br />

To support this faculty development<br />

effort, each year the College of Medicine<br />

will make available $10,000 tax-free<br />

educational loans. These loans are<br />

intended to provide faculty with sufficient<br />

funds, such that along with the university<br />

tuition benefit, they can complete the<br />

program at essentially no cost.<br />

The deadline to apply for the Master<br />

of Business Administration program is<br />

July 15. For more information on the<br />

healthcare leadership concentration,<br />

visit SouthAlabama.edu/colleges/<br />

mcob/mba/healthcare/.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 13


Ambassadors<br />

CLASS OF <strong>2019</strong><br />

14 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


SABRINA GARRETT TAYLOR HAMLIN OWEN HICKS<br />

Originally from Birmingham, Sabrina<br />

Garrett came to the University of South<br />

Alabama knowing she wanted to major in<br />

accounting. After graduation, she will be<br />

attending the University of South Carolina<br />

to pursue her Masters in Accounting and<br />

begin completing sections of the CPA<br />

exam. Post-graduate school, she plans on<br />

living in a southeastern city and working in<br />

public accounting.<br />

“Being an Ambassador is a collaborative<br />

environment with many opportunities<br />

for leadership and growth. Serving as<br />

Chair was a very fulfilling and, at times,<br />

an overwhelming experience, but I<br />

could not be more proud of the work<br />

we have accomplished in the past three<br />

years. Serving as an Ambassador has<br />

impacted my leadership and networking<br />

skills, giving me the opportunity to meet<br />

incredible community leaders.”<br />

Garrett said a pivotal point in her<br />

education was when she enrolled in<br />

intermediate accounting. “I knew I made<br />

the right decision. Studying for financial<br />

accounting always seemed like a break<br />

from my other classes. It was challenging,<br />

yes, but I never had to force myself into<br />

memorization.”<br />

Taylor Hamlin was born in<br />

Germantown, TN. and raised in Troy,<br />

Ala. She graduated with a degree in<br />

accounting and joined Smith Dukes, an<br />

accounting firm in Mobile.<br />

Reflecting on her time as an<br />

Ambassador, Hamlin said, “I get to<br />

work with a great group of people<br />

and grow as a person. I’ve had the<br />

humbling experience of helping to<br />

lead those people. We’ve had fun as a<br />

team and have been given incredible<br />

opportunities to go and do. I’ve<br />

gotten to know people I wouldn’t<br />

have had the chance or guts to meet<br />

otherwise: other majors, prospective<br />

students, MCOB celebrities like Abe<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> and Dean Wood, and CEOs<br />

of public companies. I’ve also greatly<br />

benefited from being on both sides<br />

of the interview process for this<br />

organization.”<br />

She knew that she enjoyed her<br />

classes in managerial accounting,<br />

but since interning at a small firm,<br />

Maritech Marine & Industrial Services,<br />

she is now sure that corporate<br />

accounting is what she wants to<br />

pursue following graduation. “I enjoy<br />

being in the nooks and crannies of<br />

industry and helping keep businesses<br />

running day-to-day.”<br />

Owen Hicks, a native of Gadsden,<br />

Ala., graduated with a bachelor of<br />

science in accounting. Post-graduation,<br />

Owen plans on attending the<br />

University of South Carolina to pursue<br />

a Master of Accountancy and then<br />

take the CPA exam. After finishing this<br />

graduate program, she will begin her<br />

career in public accounting.<br />

Through the Ambassadors,<br />

she has been able to develop her<br />

professionalism, public speaking<br />

skills, networking capabilities, and so<br />

much more. However, the aspect that’s<br />

had the biggest impact has been the<br />

friendships she has developed. “Each<br />

individual in the group has something<br />

unique and wonderful to offer. I know<br />

these friendships will be kept for a<br />

lifetime.”<br />

Hicks went on to say, “Coming into<br />

college, I already was highly interested<br />

in accounting due to my personality.<br />

However, after taking a class in each<br />

of the prospective majors at South,<br />

my decision to pursue accounting was<br />

solidified. Everything about accounting<br />

fits my personality, and I loved<br />

learning how to read and understand<br />

financials. Furthermore, it would<br />

provide numerous job opportunities<br />

after college and the opportunity to<br />

obtain a specific license to set me<br />

apart in the workforce.”<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 15


DYLAN HOOPER<br />

BAXLEY STOKES<br />

EMILY VIGLIONE<br />

Dylan Hooper, a native of Mobile, AL,<br />

graduated with a bachelor of science in<br />

accounting. Post-graduation, he will attend<br />

the University of South Carolina to obtain<br />

his Master of Accountancy. During this<br />

one-year program, he also plans to study<br />

and pass the CPA exam. After graduate<br />

school, he plans to pursue a career in<br />

public accounting.<br />

Hooper says, “My experience as a<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> Ambassador has been incredible.<br />

One very unique experience being an<br />

Ambassador has afforded me was the<br />

opportunity to study abroad in Italy last<br />

May. Becoming an Ambassador of the<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business impacted me<br />

both as a student and young professional.<br />

It has been an incredible opportunity<br />

to lead such an outstanding group of<br />

Ambassadors and become so close to<br />

one another. I have been able to meet<br />

people I would have otherwise not had<br />

the opportunity to get to know. These<br />

relationships will forever have an impact<br />

on my life.”<br />

Upon entering college, he knew he was<br />

going to pursue his degree in accounting.<br />

“Once I completed my first two accounting<br />

classes at South with Professor Madden, I<br />

knew that accounting was for me.”<br />

16 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong><br />

Originally from Mobile, Baxley<br />

Stokes graduated with a double major<br />

in accounting and finance. After<br />

graduation, he will be pursuing the<br />

Master of Accountancy at Vanderbilt<br />

University with a concentration<br />

in valuation. After completing his<br />

program, Stokes hopes to begin<br />

working with a valuation team at a<br />

big four accounting firm, then make<br />

a transition into private equity or<br />

investment banking.<br />

When reflecting on the Ambassador<br />

program, Stokes said, “Being an<br />

Ambassador has been one of the most<br />

rewarding experiences in college.<br />

Being surrounded with fantastic<br />

people and top-level students has<br />

been phenomenal. Being able to serve<br />

the campus and see change through<br />

students’ opinions have been an<br />

incredible experience.”<br />

Stokes said a pivotal point in his<br />

major choice didn’t come until his<br />

second intermediate class when he<br />

had to decide if he was willing to<br />

buckle down and work to get through<br />

the material. “For my finance major,<br />

this point was my sophomore year<br />

when I took investments with Dr.<br />

Kyre Lahtinen. This class showed me<br />

how intricate and complex the world<br />

of finance is; then, in Dr. Hunsader’s<br />

intermediate finance class this major<br />

was confirmed even more for me.”<br />

Emily Viglione was born in Pensacola<br />

and raised in Gulf Breeze, Fla. She<br />

graduated with a degree in marketing<br />

with a concentration in management and<br />

joined SSAB America, an international<br />

steel company headquartered in Mobile.<br />

“Being an Ambassador has been<br />

fun! I’ve met the majority of MCOB’s<br />

faculty and staff through the program,<br />

am connected to more areas of campus,<br />

learned from our nation’s business<br />

professionals, and studied abroad in<br />

Italy with fellow Ambassadors. My<br />

experience as an Ambassador is bringing<br />

my college experience full-circle<br />

because now I’m the student speaking to<br />

prospective students at USA Days about<br />

why they should come to the University<br />

of South Alabama.”<br />

Before joining the Ambassador<br />

program, she struggled with speaking<br />

confidently. “Now, I am more expressive<br />

than ever because of the leadership<br />

lessons I received through the program.”<br />

Viglione said a pivotal point in<br />

her education came when she took<br />

Principles of Marketing with Dr.<br />

Finney. “I love to know fun, random<br />

facts about anything and everything,<br />

and Dr. Finney’s lectures are filled with<br />

them. It was the first business class that<br />

consistently engaged my interest, and<br />

his classes still help me connect lecture<br />

material to the real world.”


SCHOLARS<br />

NIGHT <strong>2019</strong><br />

Many years ago, a margarine advertisement touted,<br />

“It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” Having a<br />

dean that has survived not one, but two major<br />

tornadoes and multiple hurricanes and tropical<br />

storms, the college follows this advice. When the<br />

National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center<br />

forecast severe weather for the afternoon and<br />

evening of April 18, the University wisely cancelled<br />

all activities after 5:00 pm. Unfortunately, our<br />

Scholars Night and Alumni Fellow presentations<br />

fell victim to the decision. We proudly list the<br />

students that would have been recognized that<br />

night. Alumni Fellows may be found on page 21.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 17


<strong>2019</strong> MITCHELL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS<br />

BRIAN L. MCGUIRE<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

ACCOUNTING<br />

Paola Hernandez Barajas<br />

ALLEN, ALLEN & FOSTER,<br />

CPAS’ ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Lucas Brunson<br />

MOSTELLAR & SHREVE, LLP<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

ACCOUNTING<br />

Jaylen Carter<br />

ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Manuel Cedeno<br />

HARTMAN, BLACKMON &<br />

KILGORE, P.C. ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Hailee Crawford<br />

VERA REED ACCOUNTING<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Laura Driskell<br />

OUTSTANDING<br />

ACCOUNTING MAJOR<br />

Sabrina Garrett<br />

PUTCHA FAMILY<br />

OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTING<br />

STUDENT ENDOWED AWARD<br />

Kiana Giles<br />

ALABAMA SOCIETY OF CPAS’<br />

OUTSTANDING STUDENT<br />

AWARD<br />

Owen E. Hicks<br />

RUSSELL THOMPSON<br />

BUTLER & HOUSTON, LLP<br />

ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP<br />

William Kasal<br />

ELAINE AND JOHN “J.D.”<br />

BAXTER ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

ACCOUNTING<br />

Briana Morris<br />

LUTHER E. CLEMENTS<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

ACCOUNTING<br />

Kevin Nguyen<br />

ALABAMA SOCIETY OF CPAS’<br />

EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Ryan Ruland<br />

HARDIN-EAVES ENDOWED<br />

ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Ryan Ruland<br />

LAURA AND WAYNE DAVIS<br />

ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Ryan Ruland<br />

LANG FAMILY ENDOWED<br />

BOOK SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Sunshine Rutherford<br />

ALABAMA YOUNG BANKERS<br />

Justin Abalos<br />

THE FIRST: A NATIONAL<br />

BANKING ASSOCIATION<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

FINANCE<br />

Thomas Alford<br />

CLIFTON C. INGE<br />

LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP<br />

IN ECONOMICS AND<br />

FINANCE<br />

Sabrina Begum<br />

PNC BANK ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN FINANCE<br />

Caleb Dunaway<br />

DR. DONALD L. MOAK<br />

MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Koda King<br />

WHITE-SPUNNER &<br />

ASSOCIATES, INC. ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN REAL<br />

ESTATE<br />

Christopher Mahan<br />

ROBERT AND JOSEPH<br />

HUNSADER MEMORIAL<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

ECONOMICS AND FINANCE<br />

Taylor McManus<br />

ALTON R., III AND TONI<br />

GOUBIL BROWN ENDOWED<br />

FUND IN REAL ESTATE<br />

Dylan Schmitz<br />

OUTSTANDING FINANCE<br />

MAJOR<br />

James Baxley Stokes<br />

ADEN “JACK” COOPER<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Heather Trinh<br />

ALOYIS SONNEBORN<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Heather Trinh<br />

CHRISTOPHER J. WEIGEL<br />

FINANCE ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Quy (Annie) Vo<br />

OUTSTANDING ECONOMICS<br />

MAJOR (SPONSORED BY<br />

RICK AND JULIE HARVEY)<br />

Sahilee Waitman<br />

DR. MICHELLE L. SLAGLE<br />

MANAGEMENT<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Rasmus Karlsson<br />

DR. PAUL PIETRI<br />

ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP<br />

IN MANAGEMENT<br />

McKenna Matzek<br />

Hannah McDuffie<br />

Cody Puckett<br />

Jolie Thompson<br />

MOBILE SOCIETY FOR<br />

HUMAN RESOURCE<br />

MANAGEMENT ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

McKenna Matzek<br />

Hannah McDuffie<br />

OUTSTANDING<br />

MANAGEMENT MAJOR<br />

Victoria McMahon<br />

CARL N. & JEWEL O. MELTON<br />

ENDOWED ENTREPRENEUR-<br />

SHIP SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Andrea Prgomelja<br />

EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION<br />

AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Andrea Prgomelja<br />

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS<br />

MANAGEMENT ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Cody Puckett<br />

DR. DONALD C. MOSLEY, SR.<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

BUSINESS<br />

Jolie Thompson<br />

PARKER ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Robert Kemper<br />

DR. FRANK R. URBANCIC<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

ACCOUNTING<br />

Khang Luu<br />

Brittany Roberts<br />

DOUGLAS L.WHITMORE<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

FINANCE<br />

Kelsey Edwards<br />

OUTSTANDING REAL ESTATE<br />

MAJOR<br />

Auston Fillinger<br />

WARREN H. NICHOLSON<br />

ENDOWED ENTREPRENEUR-<br />

SHIP SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Tyler Hale<br />

DR. EDWARD L. HARRISON<br />

MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Rasmus Karlsson<br />

DR. MARK WEAVER<br />

ENDOWED ENTREPRENEUR-<br />

IAL SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Jolie Thompson<br />

ALVIN J. WILLIAMS ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDY<br />

ABROAD IN MARKETING<br />

Cassidy Harding<br />

18 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


MARGIE MALONE TUCKSON<br />

ENDOWED MARKETING<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Taya Danielle Paschall<br />

GRANT M. DAVIS<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Victoria Power<br />

OUTSTANDING MARKETING<br />

MAJOR<br />

Stacy Sargeant<br />

JOHN R. DONOVAN<br />

ENDOWED GRADUATE<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Russell Cantrell<br />

Mary Kristen Lee<br />

Amber Poole<br />

WIND CREEK HOSPITALITY<br />

CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE<br />

AND ECONOMIC<br />

DEVELOPMENT MBA<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Russell Cantrell<br />

Amber Poole<br />

Jayoung Sohn<br />

Kevin Thornhill<br />

MEHUL PARIKH MEMORIAL<br />

SCHOLARSHIP FOR MBA<br />

STUDENTS<br />

Hector Guarneros Ortiz<br />

CLARENCE M. FRENKEL, JR.<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Julianna Abrams<br />

Rebecca Culberson<br />

Michael House<br />

Lauren Nehls<br />

WINTHROP M HALLETT III<br />

FREE ENTERPRISE<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Sarah Barnes<br />

Alyssa LaCoste<br />

STIMPSON BROTHERS<br />

LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP<br />

IN BUSINESS<br />

Blake Batchelor<br />

JACK R. BRUNSON<br />

MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP<br />

FOR EXCELLENCE<br />

Courtney Cagle<br />

MITCHELL COLLEGE OF<br />

BUSINESS ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Joseph Collier<br />

JAKE & PAT GOSA<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

THE MITCHELL COLLEGE OF<br />

BUSINESS<br />

Angel Cox<br />

Jessica Fair<br />

Victoria Power<br />

PFILIP AND LUELLA HUNT<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Caleb Dunaway<br />

RICK AND JULIE HARVEY<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Logan Etheridge<br />

THOMAS CORCORAN<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP<br />

FOR ADULT STUDENTS<br />

Wade Forde<br />

CHRIS AND ELIZABETH<br />

MELTON ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Cheyenne Hodges<br />

TERRY S. BARKIN MEMORIAL<br />

SHOE STATION ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN BUSINESS<br />

Courtnei Johnson<br />

TOMMY AND KATHY<br />

ZOGHBY ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN FINANCE<br />

AND ACCOUNTING<br />

Dyamyn Johnson<br />

HELEN & ROBERT SELLERS<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN BUSINESS<br />

Jazmin Jones<br />

MITCHELL COLLEGE OF<br />

BUSINESS 50TH<br />

ANNIVERSARY SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Rasmus Karlsson<br />

Briana Morris<br />

MITCHELL SCHOLARS PAY IT<br />

FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Brenda Landa-Silva<br />

HOLLIS & CARMEL<br />

SHUMOCK ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN BUSINESS<br />

Ellie LaPorte<br />

Ashley Wade<br />

BBVA COMPASS ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP IN THE<br />

MITCHELL COLLEGE OF<br />

BUSINESS<br />

Caroline Long<br />

DON AND SANDRA<br />

MCCRORY ENDOWED BOOK<br />

AWARD IN THE MITCHELL<br />

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS<br />

Austin Sanders<br />

PEGGY & JOHN SEIBERT<br />

FAMILY ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Sunny Souvannasy<br />

RUSSELL AND CAM STILL<br />

SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT<br />

Savannah Stephens<br />

MICHAEL C. AND PATSY<br />

B. DOW ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Quy (Annie) Vo<br />

TURNER SUPPLY ENDOWED<br />

BOOK SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

BUSINESS<br />

Lajarvis Weed<br />

REGIONS BANK ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Andres Arguelles<br />

Amara Baltimore<br />

John Chism<br />

Angela Cox<br />

Tyler Hale<br />

Michael House<br />

Courtnei Johnson<br />

Hannah McDuffie<br />

DR. CARL C. MOORE<br />

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN<br />

THE MITCHELL COLLEGE OF<br />

BUSINESS<br />

Kiana Giles<br />

PEGGY & JOHN SEIBERT<br />

FAMILY ENDOWED<br />

SCHOLARSHIP<br />

Daymond Guzman<br />

Floral arrangements from the canceled Scholars Night were delivered<br />

to USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital by <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of<br />

Business students Catherine Carwie, Peyton Rego, and Ethan Flowers.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 19


DEAN’S AWARD<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business<br />

Dean’s Award is given to<br />

graduating seniors with a 3.75<br />

or higher GPA.<br />

Sarah Alkhatib<br />

Kyle Allen<br />

Lauren Carrubba<br />

Joyce Casolino<br />

Madison Douville<br />

Lacey Dugger<br />

Bailey Duos<br />

Rachel Finch<br />

Sabrina Garrett<br />

Rachel Gray<br />

Taylor Hamlin<br />

Paul Haulard<br />

Owen Hicks<br />

Dylan Hooper<br />

Sarah Ledbetter<br />

Victoria McMann<br />

Katherine McMichael<br />

Zachary Melton<br />

Winey Kate Navarro<br />

Anh Hong Nguyen<br />

Grace Ouwenga<br />

Jonathan Payne<br />

Mignone Perry<br />

Caroline Pope<br />

Stacy Sergeant<br />

Amber Sims<br />

Peter Staalbo<br />

James Baxley Stokes<br />

Melody Tittle<br />

Emily Viglione<br />

Momoko Yamamoto<br />

DISTINGUISHED<br />

ACADEMIC<br />

ACHIEVEMENT<br />

Distinguished Academic<br />

Achievement award goes to,<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business<br />

students who have a 4.0 GPA.<br />

SENIORS<br />

Mary Adams<br />

Sarah Alkhatib<br />

Jasmine Bocich<br />

Samantha Campbell<br />

Dylan Hooper<br />

Heather Hudson<br />

McKenna Matzek<br />

Anh Nguyen<br />

Victoria Power<br />

Emily Viglione<br />

JUNIORS<br />

Angel Cox<br />

Sarah Effio<br />

Jessica Fair<br />

Gregor Garscha<br />

Mikayla Kyle<br />

Khang Luu<br />

Joshua Smith<br />

Mary Spurlin<br />

SOPHOMORES<br />

Nicholas Dailey<br />

Anthony Miller<br />

Michael Moore<br />

Samuel Penque<br />

Peyton Rego<br />

Savannah Stephens<br />

Amber Walker<br />

FRESHMEN<br />

Reagan Chandler<br />

Joseph Collier<br />

Eric Covington<br />

Ethan Flowers<br />

Madison Gay<br />

Brianna Ladnier<br />

Ellie LaPorte<br />

Caroline Long<br />

John MacLatchie<br />

William Nguyen<br />

Taylor Rogers<br />

Jacob Spears<br />

Ashley Wade<br />

Yan Yang<br />

20 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


<strong>2019</strong><br />

MITCHELL COLLEGE<br />

OF BUSINESS<br />

ALUMNI<br />

FELLOWS<br />

The Alumni Fellow Program formally recognizes <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business alumni whose personal lives,<br />

professional achievements and contributions to society exemplify the highest ideals of the College<br />

and the University. The program encourages Fellows to interact with students and faculty. Fellows<br />

engage students by sharing their professional knowledge and experience to enhance career development.<br />

Fellows also demonstrate the application of business concepts, enriching faculty instruction.<br />

Each Alumni Fellow receives a commemorative award designed and hand-cast<br />

by Jeanne Stevens-Sollman, a nationally known sculptor and medalist, and a ceramic sculptured<br />

jaguar created by alumnus and nationally recognized representational sculptor Sam Nettles.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 21


JACK DONOVAN JERRY HOST THERESA ANN<br />

HOWARTH<br />

Jack Donovan is the founder of<br />

Omakase, a consulting firm helping<br />

organizations articulate and execute<br />

growth strategies. Omakase works<br />

with clients in a variety of industries<br />

to enhance organizational leadership<br />

skills, manage change, and establish<br />

customer-centered strategies. Jack<br />

was the Chief Growth Officer for<br />

Univar Inc., a $10 billion global leader<br />

in chemical distribution where he<br />

designed and established the office<br />

of Enterprise Account Management,<br />

built a global platform to promote<br />

commercial excellence, and managed<br />

ChemPoint (specialty chemicals) plus<br />

the company’s Asia Pacific operations.<br />

He spent 18 years in a variety of roles<br />

at ARAMARK, a Fortune 500 company,<br />

where in his role as President, corporate<br />

officer, and member of the management<br />

committee he led a diverse portfolio of<br />

businesses generating almost $4 billion<br />

in revenue.<br />

Jack is a graduate of Duke University<br />

with a bachelor’s degree in Economics<br />

and Public Policy Study. He earned<br />

a Master of Business Administration<br />

degree from the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of<br />

Business at the University of South<br />

Alabama where he received the USA<br />

Distinguished Alumni Award and was<br />

named an Executive in Residence.<br />

Jerry Host is President and Chief<br />

Executive Officer of Trustmark<br />

Corporation and Trustmark National<br />

Bank. Before joining Trustmark in<br />

1984 he was with First National Bank<br />

in Mobile. An alumnus of the <strong>Mitchell</strong><br />

College, he recently served as Chairman<br />

of the Mississippi Bankers Association.<br />

He is a member of the board of directors<br />

of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta<br />

and a past director for the New Orleans<br />

branch of the Federal Reserve Bank.<br />

Host is a past chairman of the Board of<br />

Governors of the Mississippi Executive<br />

Council and is a director and member<br />

of the Greater Jackson Chamber Board.<br />

He serves as chairman of the Mississippi<br />

Museum of Art and other nonprofit<br />

organizations across the Jackson<br />

community. Host is a graduate from the<br />

LSU School of Banking and the Center<br />

for Creative Leadership in Greensboro,<br />

North Carolina. He graduated from the<br />

National School of Financial & Funds<br />

Management at the University of Illinois<br />

and the Graduate School of Financial &<br />

Funds Management at the University of<br />

Oklahoma.<br />

Theresa Howarth retired as the Asia<br />

Pacific Director of Finance/Treasury<br />

Operations for Electronic Data Systems.<br />

She was responsible for transactions<br />

in the USA, Europe, and Asia Pacific,<br />

including mergers and acquisitions, joint<br />

ventures, spin-offs, and initial public<br />

offerings. Prior to EDS she worked<br />

for Price Waterhouse and Dresser<br />

Industries. She has worked in over 27<br />

countries and has traveled the world,<br />

including Antarctica. She earned a<br />

Bachelor of Science in accounting from<br />

the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business and<br />

a Master of Business Administration<br />

from Tulane University. While at MCOB,<br />

she was a USS Alabama Crewmate, a<br />

Southerner, a Chi Omega, and Little<br />

Sister of Sigma Chi.<br />

She is a Certified Public Accountant<br />

and has an Accredited Business<br />

Valuation designation. She is a recipient<br />

of an MCOB Impact Award, is on the<br />

MCOB Executive Advisory Council,<br />

teaches CCD, is a member of the Sydney<br />

Women’s International Club, and serves<br />

on the Board of the Beaver Creek<br />

Association.<br />

22 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


MAJOR GENERAL<br />

MIKE SUMRALL<br />

U.S. ARMY<br />

Major General Mike H. Sumrall<br />

(ret.) is Chief Executive Officer of<br />

Skyline Unlimited, Ltd. Skyline is<br />

a nationwide professional services<br />

provider to federal, state, and local<br />

agencies. General Sumrall began his<br />

military career as an enlisted soldier<br />

with the Alabama Army National Guard.<br />

He was commissioned in 1970 through<br />

the Army National Guard Officer<br />

Candidate School at the University<br />

of South Alabama. During his career<br />

Sumrall served at Fort Lee (Virginia),<br />

Redstone Arsenal (Alabama), and<br />

Aberdeen Proving Ground (Maryland).<br />

He saw duty with the United States<br />

European Command, the United<br />

States Central Command, and served<br />

as Assistant to the Chairman of the<br />

Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Guard<br />

Matters, The Joint Staff in the Pentagon.<br />

He retired as Acting Director, Joint<br />

Staff National Guard Bureau where he<br />

developed and coordinated policies,<br />

programs, and plans affecting over<br />

half a million Army and Air National<br />

Guard personnel. In addition to his<br />

Bachelor of Science (Management) from<br />

the University of South Alabama, he<br />

holds a Master of Science in Logistics<br />

Management and an MBA from the<br />

Florida Institute of Technology.<br />

DR. PAUL H.<br />

PIETRI<br />

Dr. Paul H. Pietri is professor<br />

emeritus of management at the <strong>Mitchell</strong><br />

College of Business. He has taught more<br />

than 9,000 <strong>Mitchell</strong> College students<br />

since joining the faculty in 1975. A coauthor<br />

of three books, he has presented<br />

management and communication<br />

seminars to over 30 organizations<br />

across the United States and in Canada,<br />

Europe, and South America. As the first<br />

educational director of the Alabama<br />

Banking School, he developed the<br />

curriculum and taught in the program<br />

for 15 years.<br />

He received a Joint Commendation<br />

for Service to the Alabama Banking<br />

School from the Alabama House and<br />

Senate. He is a past recipient of the<br />

Outstanding Professor Award from<br />

the University of South Alabama<br />

National Alumni Association. He has<br />

served on the board of governors for<br />

the Academy of Management and the<br />

Southern Management Association and<br />

as education director and board member<br />

for Leadership Mobile.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 23


STUDENT SPOTLIGHT<br />

hey<br />

google...<br />

HOW DO YOU GET FROM DETROIT<br />

TO MOBILE? MBA SPOTLIGHT: RACHEL SMITH<br />

On her 11th anniversary of<br />

getting hired at Google,<br />

Rachel Smith submitted her<br />

resignation and informed her manager,<br />

“I’m moving to Mobile and enrolling<br />

in the MBA program at the University<br />

of South Alabama.” Working up the<br />

courage to leave a great company and<br />

walking away from a promising career<br />

in tech wasn’t easy, but Smith heard a<br />

quote that helped her make the leap. She<br />

was living in Chicago at the time, and the<br />

city’s mayor, Rahm Emanuel, announced<br />

he was not running for re-election. He<br />

said, “This has been the job of a lifetime,<br />

but it is not a job for a lifetime.” Smith<br />

felt the same way about her career at<br />

Google and decided it was time to begin<br />

a new chapter.<br />

She was born and raised in the Detroit<br />

metro area and earned an Associate<br />

in Arts from Washtenaw Community<br />

College in Ann Arbor, Mich. She<br />

attended Wayne State University in<br />

Detroit on an academic scholarship<br />

and earned her Bachelor of Science<br />

Degree in Marketing. Three months<br />

after graduating, Smith was hired in the<br />

AdWords division of Google and worked<br />

in digital advertising for the next nine<br />

years. During that time, she learned<br />

how search, image and video advertising<br />

worked end-to-end in various roles<br />

across AdWords sales, DoubleClick<br />

consulting, YouTube technical support,<br />

and people management. In her last two<br />

years at Google, she transitioned away<br />

from advertising to work as a project<br />

manager in a fast growing part of the<br />

company called Google Cloud.<br />

In the years leading up to her<br />

decision to enroll in the MBA program,<br />

she had been considering leaving the<br />

tech industry to pursue a career in<br />

academia. To get a feel for the academic<br />

environment, Smith asked her younger<br />

sister (a recent University of South<br />

Alabama alumna) to connect her with<br />

instructors in USA’s <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of<br />

Business who would consider hosting<br />

her for student talks. This led to<br />

connections with Dr. Alvin Williams,<br />

the department chair of marketing, and<br />

Marianne Loes, a marketing instructor.<br />

Over the course of three years, she<br />

began giving annual talks at the MCOB<br />

about general career advice, preparing<br />

for job interviews, resume tips, and<br />

digital advertising.<br />

Looking back, it was her one-on-one<br />

career conversations with Loes where<br />

Smith learned about the accelerated<br />

MBA program at South. Loes explained<br />

what a career path from the tech<br />

24 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


STUDENT SPOTLIGHT<br />

industry to academia looked like, since<br />

she had a similar background herself.<br />

Getting an MBA was the first step<br />

and would take one year in South’s<br />

accelerated program.<br />

Not only was the timeline and new<br />

career path appealing, but Smith was in<br />

love with Mobile. The low cost of living,<br />

warm climate, excellent food, live music,<br />

beach access and friendly people made<br />

it a great place to live. She knew it was<br />

where she wanted to relocate and retire<br />

one day.<br />

Her transition from the corporate<br />

world to a full-time graduate student<br />

and graduate assistant at MCOB had a<br />

learning curve. Taking a standardized<br />

test such as the GMAT, writing an essay<br />

with citations, and studying for back-toback<br />

final exams were things she had not<br />

done in over a decade. Even still, she was<br />

excited to be a student again and looked<br />

forward to time in the classroom.<br />

“The MBA coursework has been<br />

relevant and applicable to everyday<br />

problems that I encountered<br />

throughout my career,” she said. The<br />

work experience she brought to the<br />

program added layers of context and<br />

understanding that enriched the course<br />

material. She especially liked when her<br />

marketing professor, Dr. Alex Sharland,<br />

invited current business owners into the<br />

classroom. The sessions underscored<br />

what Smith suspected - that more than<br />

ever, businesses are in need of strategic<br />

thinkers who can effectively use data<br />

to make decisions. Smith said the MBA<br />

program is helping her with these exact<br />

skills.<br />

These experiences proved useful in<br />

the spring semester when Smith and two<br />

classmates from South placed first out<br />

of five university teams in an MBA case<br />

competition at the University of West<br />

Florida. When they asked for feedback<br />

on their presentation, the executives<br />

from the Pensacola-based company they<br />

pitched to attributed their win to having<br />

the most strategic recommendations.<br />

With a full-time course load and a<br />

graduate assistantship, the days can be<br />

long and the weekends can be short.<br />

Rachel emphasized, “I’m grateful<br />

for the support of my family and my<br />

fiancé, Mathew. Their patience and<br />

encouragement have been a blessing in<br />

this new chapter of my career.”<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 25


STUDENT SPOTLIGHT<br />

You<br />

Don’t<br />

Know<br />

Jack...<br />

Yet<br />

26 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


STUDENT SPOTLIGHT<br />

I am grateful for all the opportunities the college has afforded me.<br />

It has allowed me to meet incredibly successful alumni, the best local business<br />

leaders, and even diplomats from foreign nations.<br />

Originally from Rainbow City,<br />

Ala., <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of<br />

Business Ambassador and<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> Scholar Jack Stover is staying<br />

busy. This outstanding junior is double<br />

majoring in international business<br />

and modern and classical languages<br />

and literature with a concentration<br />

in Spanish. Stover’s dedication and<br />

experience throughout his college career<br />

have earned him acceptance into the<br />

United States-Indonesia Society, or<br />

USINDO, Summer Studies Program in<br />

Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He is one of 14<br />

students across the U.S. participating in<br />

the program.<br />

After accepting a <strong>Mitchell</strong><br />

Scholarship, Stover decided to attend<br />

the University of South Alabama and<br />

has never looked back. “The <strong>Mitchell</strong><br />

College of Business has provided me<br />

countless incredible opportunities that<br />

I cannot imagine receiving elsewhere.<br />

From the relationships I have built with<br />

professors since my freshman year, such<br />

as Dr. Sonya Cole (Director, Professional<br />

Readiness Engagement Program) to the<br />

constant guidance and mentorship from<br />

Dean Wood, the faculty are extremely<br />

welcoming and kind to all students in<br />

every capacity.”<br />

In addition to the experience, the<br />

scholarship provides other benefits.<br />

“The <strong>Mitchell</strong> Scholarship has allowed<br />

me to study debt-free thanks to the<br />

extraordinary kindness and benevolence<br />

of the <strong>Mitchell</strong> family. Their investment<br />

in me as a scholar has driven me to<br />

ensure great academic and professional<br />

success.”<br />

Stover has also served in several<br />

leadership roles and organizations<br />

across the USA campus, such as being a<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> Ambassador, First-Year Council<br />

member, senatorial representative<br />

of MCOB in the Student Government<br />

Association, member of Beta Gamma<br />

Sigma (an international business<br />

honor society), Phi Eta Sigma National<br />

Honor Society and Phi Sigma Iota<br />

foreign language honor society, and vice<br />

president (2017) and president (2018)<br />

for the Kappa-Nu Chapter of the Kappa<br />

Sigma Fraternity.<br />

Stover’s perseverance also led to<br />

several internship opportunities in the<br />

Mobile community: a student internship<br />

at the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business<br />

Center for Real Estate and Economic<br />

Development, a finance internship at<br />

Airbus, and business development and<br />

supply chain internships at Austal USA.<br />

“My experiences in different fields at two<br />

of the largest international businesses<br />

on the Gulf Coast have given me great<br />

direction in pushing me toward my<br />

professional goals beyond graduation.”<br />

Stover’s passion for international<br />

studies has taken him around the world.<br />

He has studied abroad in Cuenca, Spain<br />

and this summer will spend 10 days<br />

studying in France with members of<br />

MCOB. He will then spend 10 weeks in<br />

Indonesia with the USINDO Summer<br />

Studies Program. Stover will be studying<br />

Indonesian language, culture, economy,<br />

trade and business, and government and<br />

politics in Yogyakarta. Indonesia, the<br />

world’s fourth most populated nation,<br />

is expected to grow to be the world’s<br />

seventh largest economy by 2030.<br />

As part of the program, Stover will<br />

spend time volunteering with a local<br />

business in Yogyakarta learning practical<br />

business skills and getting experience<br />

working with a foreign company. The<br />

program also includes special lectures<br />

from government officials, local<br />

business leaders, researchers, and other<br />

professionals. The program isn’t all just<br />

work, though.<br />

Stover looks forward to the final<br />

component of the program, which<br />

includes visiting the Merapi volcano<br />

and the Borobudur Buddhist temple, a<br />

UNESCO World Heritage Site.<br />

“I know this program will be an<br />

unforgettable and invaluable experience<br />

that I will cherish my entire life and<br />

I am extremely excited for this. After<br />

completing my program in Indonesia,<br />

I hope to bring back home with me a<br />

deeper knowledge and understanding of<br />

the Indonesian people and culture, new<br />

language skills, and a more-advanced<br />

comprehension of the international<br />

business world.”<br />

Stover noted his appreciation for the<br />

experiences the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College has<br />

provided him. “I am grateful for all the<br />

opportunities the college has afforded<br />

me. It has allowed me to meet incredibly<br />

successful alumni, the best local<br />

business leaders, and even diplomats<br />

from foreign nations. I hope to use my<br />

education at the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of<br />

Business to propel me to my career goals<br />

after graduation.”<br />

Stover believes his experience has<br />

afforded him the ability to choose his<br />

own direction and consider which<br />

career path he should take. “I envision<br />

myself working in corporate business<br />

and eventually becoming an executive<br />

at a multinational manufacturing or<br />

merchandising company, or perhaps<br />

I will pursue public service with the<br />

Department of State and dream of<br />

eventually becoming an ambassador of<br />

the United States, living and working in<br />

a foreign country.”<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 27


LOUIS DELCOUR<br />

LILLE, FRANCE<br />

USA TENNIS<br />

MILKA- EMILIA PASANEN<br />

FINLAND<br />

MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION<br />

“The professors at the business college truly<br />

care about their students and want them to<br />

be successful in the course and later in life.”<br />

LESLIE AIMEE SOTO<br />

BUSTAMANTE<br />

COLUMBUS, GEORGIA<br />

MAJOR: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS<br />

“What I like about MCOB is that<br />

all professors are engaged in giving their<br />

students the best of what they can give,<br />

encouraging us to get better and be<br />

better in whatever we do.”<br />

LOIC CLOES<br />

OREYE, BELGIUM<br />

MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION<br />

“I initally chose business because I didn’t<br />

really know what to choose. I am actually really<br />

enjoying it, and I have wonderful teachers.”<br />

COLLIN P. SCHEUFLER<br />

GULF BREEZE, FLORIDA<br />

28 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


SANTIAGO I. DI LORETO<br />

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA<br />

MAXIME LAPRAILLE<br />

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM<br />

MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION<br />

“I really like MCOB because teachers are always<br />

available for their students and the classes are<br />

smaller, making learning more effective.”<br />

YU FUJIOKA<br />

JAPAN<br />

MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION<br />

“MCOB’s program is really nice and very<br />

developed to improve student’s ability.”<br />

NIKOLA KOHOUTOVA<br />

KRALUPY NAD VLTAVOU, CZECH REPUBLIC<br />

MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION<br />

“The <strong>Mitchell</strong> College gives me many<br />

opportunities to learn and experience things<br />

about business, which helps me to choose<br />

a career I want. The professors from the<br />

department are always willing to help because<br />

they care about their students.”<br />

YURIE TAKANISHI<br />

HARACHO, JAPAN<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 29


FOCUSING AFAR<br />

MITCHELL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS<br />

30 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong><br />

In its continuing quest to equip students with<br />

market-ready skill sets, the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College<br />

of Business sponsors a series of short-term<br />

study abroad courses. These courses offer<br />

a unique opportunity to study between<br />

semesters in an international setting and<br />

feature lectures and meetings with leading<br />

business executives.<br />

STUDYING IN SYDNEY<br />

The Sydney study-abroad program is intended for students<br />

interested in gaining a deeper understanding of international<br />

business in Asia-Pacific and the management issues confronting<br />

both small to medium enterprises and multinational firms. The<br />

program provides practical guidance on how to develop and<br />

sustain a competitive advantage in the Asia-Pacific Region and the<br />

challenges and opportunities for trade growth and collaboration in<br />

this fast-growing and dynamic region.<br />

In addition to class time, students explore the many cultural<br />

options in Sydney and the New South Wales region. Students can<br />

choose from the famed Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour,<br />

Circular Quay Port, Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Garden, Bondi<br />

Beach, the Sydney Zoo (kangaroos and koalas), and many others.<br />

LEARNING IN LONDON<br />

Each summer, Dr. Reid Cummings takes 25 students to Queen<br />

Mary University of London. Here, students look at international<br />

business operations from various perspectives giving them the<br />

opportunity to enrich their knowledge and understanding of the<br />

functional disciplines of business entities in a global setting. In<br />

addition to course work and papers, students participate in guest<br />

lectures from the European community and field trips to various<br />

U.K. and E.U. points of interest.<br />

BUSINESS & CULTURE IN ITALY<br />

Last summer, Dean Bob Wood and Dr. Ermano Affuso took<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business honor students to Rome, Pompei, and<br />

the Amalfi Coast as part of the first <strong>Mitchell</strong> Scholar International<br />

Experience. Students visited Italian companies including Eataly,<br />

learned of Italian history in Rome and Pompei, experienced the<br />

culture of the Amalfi Coast and an audience with the Pope in St.<br />

Peter’s Square. This summer, May <strong>2019</strong>, the experience visited<br />

Paris, Rennes, CAEN, Normandy beaches and Toulouse, France.


CLASS NOTES<br />

Class of 1980<br />

Pete Hayes (BBA) was named CEO and<br />

Board Member at Imagine!.<br />

Class of 1986<br />

Walne Donald (BBA) is Chairman and<br />

CEO of Mobile Fixture. Donald has<br />

helped grow the company to extend to<br />

six different locations across four states.<br />

Class of 1992<br />

Wendy Robertson (BBA) came home<br />

to Mobile in 2008 and went to work for<br />

APM Terminals; ten years later, they’ve<br />

successfully grown the business. Prior to<br />

APM Terminals, Robertson worked for<br />

various shipping companies from Long<br />

Beach, CA to Seattle, WA.<br />

Class of 1994<br />

Valerie Odom Stevenson (CPA, BS ’94;<br />

MACC ’96) is in her 20th year at the<br />

University of North Florida in Jacksonville,<br />

Fla. She currently serves as the Controller.<br />

Stevenson has had progressive upward<br />

movement throughout her career at UNF.<br />

She has worked as the Assistant Director<br />

for the Division of Sponsored & Training<br />

(99-04); Assistant University Budget<br />

Director (05-09); Associate Controller<br />

(09-12); and University Controller<br />

starting in 2012 to current. Prior to UNF,<br />

Stevenson spent 5 years (94-99) working<br />

in the Business Office at the University<br />

of South Alabama as Accountant I and<br />

Accountant II.<br />

Most recently, she received the <strong>2019</strong><br />

Outstanding International Services<br />

Award. In 2014, she received the<br />

Administrative and Professional Staff<br />

Presidential Excellence Award.<br />

Class of 2004<br />

Keith Davidson (BBA) started his own<br />

consulting firm, Silverbridge Consulting.<br />

He currently lives in Dallas, TX, with<br />

his wife, Tabitha, and his two children,<br />

Carter (10) and Sydney (8). When he is<br />

not with family or working, you can find<br />

him training for his next marathon.<br />

Class of 2005<br />

Jason Sautlers<br />

(BBA) is Partner<br />

in Charge of the<br />

Franchise Services<br />

practice at Horne<br />

LLP Mobile. When<br />

he joined Horne,<br />

he found that<br />

helping franchisees with their businesses<br />

energized him. He grew close to his<br />

clients, learned through their experiences,<br />

and had fun along the way.<br />

Class of 2014<br />

Cadie (Simmons) Gaut (BBA) started<br />

her own business, Payroll Vault. The<br />

company has been the proud recipient of<br />

several awards. In May 2017, the Mobile<br />

Chamber of Commerce awarded it the<br />

Small Business of the Month. The Payroll<br />

Vault corporate office has recognized<br />

the Mobile office for the following: 2015<br />

Business Achievement Award for Growth<br />

and Sales; 2015 Leap of Faith Award;<br />

2016 Diamond Achievement Award –<br />

Sales Person of Year; and 2016 Driving to<br />

Success Award.<br />

Tasha L. Litton (BBA) is working at<br />

the University of South Alabama in the<br />

Career Services Department as a Career<br />

Coordinator for Employer & Student<br />

Connections where she organizes events,<br />

workshops and fairs. She also manages<br />

the University’s career platform,<br />

Handshake, where she assists employers<br />

with connecting to our University, visiting<br />

campus, and posting job positions.<br />

Class of 2016<br />

Joseph Raebel (BBA) most recently<br />

graduated from the Mobile Police<br />

Academy, class #61, and is engaged to<br />

be married in summer <strong>2019</strong>.<br />

Class of 2017<br />

Gabrielle Vargas<br />

(BBA) moved<br />

to Jacksonville,<br />

Florida, to explore<br />

employment<br />

opportunities.<br />

She is currently a<br />

full-time employee<br />

as the Welcome Center Coordinator<br />

at a university in Jacksonville, Florida.<br />

She works as a part of the Enrollment<br />

Services Department and helps manage<br />

over 30 student employee tour guides.<br />

Class of 2018<br />

Kayla Morgan (BBA) has joined the<br />

economic and development team at the<br />

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce as<br />

a Marketing and Research Manager.<br />

She has enjoyed staying close to home<br />

and still loves to cheer on the Jags!<br />

Emily Rodrick (MBA) has been working<br />

for Disney as part of the Disney College<br />

Program. For her, it’s the opportunity to<br />

create a network and lead to a career<br />

with the Walt Disney Company. As her<br />

program draws to a close, she is focused<br />

on applying for positions in the field of<br />

Strategic Communications at the Walt<br />

Disney Resorts.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 31


ALUMNI SOCIETY<br />

The newly founded <strong>Mitchell</strong> College<br />

of Business Alumni Society strives to<br />

strengthen the relationship of alumni of<br />

the University of South Alabama. The<br />

MCOB Alumni Society provides fellowship<br />

opportunities among our alumni as a means<br />

to increase alumni activity awareness<br />

and engagement. We are excited to host a<br />

lineup of events, socials, fundraisers, and<br />

service opportunities for our alumni to<br />

become involved.<br />

To get involved, follow us on social media<br />

and visit our website to stay connected,<br />

receive the <strong>Mitchell</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> and get the<br />

monthly <strong>Mitchell</strong> Report.<br />

SouthAlabama.edu/colleges/mcob/<br />

alumni.html<br />

32 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 33


THREE PEOPLE<br />

THREE QUESTIONS<br />

JEANNE MAES<br />

Professor of<br />

Management, <strong>Mitchell</strong><br />

College of Business<br />

1What are you reading?<br />

Right now, it’s “Radical Candor” by<br />

Kim Scott. The book is a combination of<br />

Scott’s work experiences as well as a nononsense<br />

approach to communication in<br />

today’s world. Scott’s approach is different<br />

from many of the others I’ve read.<br />

Who is inspiring you?<br />

Those names would make for a LONG<br />

list! For me, primarily, it would be<br />

the unsung heroes I’ve met; those<br />

individuals who want to contribute to<br />

others’ lives but don’t create a fanfare<br />

about themselves. They just see a need<br />

and meet it - or go about figuring out<br />

how to help.<br />

What is the best part of your day?<br />

I really enjoy interacting with my classes<br />

and coaching my students; there is a real<br />

joy knowing I’ve made a difference for<br />

someone. I also enjoy my family and<br />

friends very much.<br />

34 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong><br />

JAKE GOSA<br />

CEO of American<br />

Woodmark (Ret.)<br />

2What are you reading?<br />

“The Last Lion, VOL II,” by William<br />

Manchester, a biography of Sir Winston<br />

Churchill. Possibly the greatest man<br />

of the 20th century. Also of note is,<br />

“Destined for War,” by Graham Allison,<br />

a detailed look at the strategic aims of<br />

China vis-a-vis the “China 2025” strategy.<br />

Who is inspiring you?<br />

I am particularly motivated by Secretary<br />

of State Mike Pompeo. He is negotiating<br />

with the North Koreans, Chinese<br />

and Iranians about nuclear weapons<br />

proliferation and other complex issues.<br />

He seems to be slowly moving the ball<br />

with the most difficult agenda and most<br />

difficult adversaries in the world.<br />

What is the best part of your day?<br />

I love the mornings and Mondays. Each<br />

signaling a new beginning, each with its<br />

own possibilities.<br />

ANGELA DUNN<br />

Hancock Whitney Bank<br />

Vice President, Middle<br />

Marketing Banking<br />

What are you reading?<br />

3Right now I’m reading “A Call to<br />

Joy” by Matthew Kelly. I’m also listening<br />

to the audio book, “Spin Selling” by Neil<br />

Rackham. “Spin Selling” is a researchbased<br />

book on sales techniques. This<br />

book has given me a lot of insight<br />

on working with clients on how to<br />

really understand their needs, then<br />

communicate how we can work together<br />

to solve some of their problems.<br />

Who is inspiring you?<br />

My pastor, Jay Robertson, is inspiring<br />

me right now. He constantly challenges<br />

me in my Christian walk. His vision for<br />

our church is unlike anything I have ever<br />

experienced.<br />

What is the best part of your day?<br />

We live right across the street from my<br />

children’s school. Every morning we<br />

walk to school with our dog. There is<br />

just something about taking that walk<br />

with them every morning that gets them<br />

really talking about the things that are<br />

really important to them.


MITCHELL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS<br />

EXECUTIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL<br />

ALAN ALEXANDER<br />

Attorney<br />

Helmsing Leach Attorneys at Law<br />

WALNE DONALD<br />

Chairman-CEO<br />

Mobile Fixture and Equipment Co.<br />

JERRY LATHAN<br />

Founder and Chairman<br />

Roofing Corporation of America<br />

MICHAEL SANDERS<br />

President/Owner<br />

Sanders-Hyland Corporation<br />

JAY ALEXANDER<br />

General Partner<br />

Bright Star Capital Management<br />

ALEXIS ATKINS<br />

Principal<br />

Budweiser Busch<br />

CELIA MANN BAEHR<br />

President & CEO<br />

Mobile Symphony Orchestra<br />

CLARENCE BALL JR.<br />

President<br />

Ball Healthcare Services, Inc.<br />

BRENT BARKIN<br />

President and CEO<br />

Shoe Station<br />

GAVIN BENDER<br />

President<br />

Bender Real Estate Group<br />

WILEY BLANKENSHIP<br />

President & CEO<br />

Coastal Alabama Partnership<br />

W. ALLEN CARROLL JR.<br />

Managing Partner<br />

Wilkins Miller, LLC<br />

HOLLY CHAPMAN<br />

CFO<br />

The American Equity<br />

Underwriters, Inc.<br />

JOE DENTON<br />

Executive Vice President and CFO<br />

Infirmary Health<br />

JAY DORRIS<br />

President & CEO<br />

PCI Gaming Authority<br />

ELIZABETH FREEMAN<br />

President<br />

Long’s Human Resource Services<br />

JULIE HARVEY<br />

CI Manager<br />

Chevron<br />

JANET HAYES<br />

Chief Operating Officer<br />

Leavell Investment Management<br />

THERESA HOWARTH<br />

Director of Finance, Asia (retired)<br />

EDS<br />

TOM HOWIE<br />

COO<br />

Pixspan<br />

BRIAN KANE<br />

Owner/Managing Partner<br />

Fairhope Brewing Company<br />

DONALD KEELER<br />

Vice President Human Resources<br />

Austal USA<br />

ALLEN LADD<br />

Vice President<br />

Thames Batré<br />

RUSSELL LADD III<br />

President and CEO (retired)<br />

Thames Batré<br />

JIM LAUDER<br />

Chief Executive Office (retired)<br />

Global Index Advisors, Inc.<br />

KATE LUCE<br />

President & CEO<br />

Mississippi Export Railroad<br />

BRUCE MCCRORY<br />

Operations & Business<br />

Development<br />

Nations Roof<br />

CHRIS MELTON<br />

Chairman and CEO<br />

The White Oak Group<br />

ABRAHAM MITCHELL<br />

Owner<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> Brothers<br />

KEITH MOHLER<br />

Self-Employed<br />

Marketing/Sales<br />

MELISSA MORRISSETTE<br />

Vice President-Owner<br />

LLB&B, Inc. Real Estate<br />

BUBBA O’GWYNN<br />

Market President<br />

BB&T<br />

WENDY ROBERTSON<br />

General Manager, Operations<br />

APM Terminals<br />

RHETT ROSS<br />

President & CEO<br />

Continental Motors<br />

TIM SHEARER<br />

Managing Director (retired)<br />

PricewaterhouseCoopers<br />

Advisory Services<br />

BILL SISSON<br />

President<br />

Mobile Area Chamber<br />

of Commerce<br />

TIM SMITH<br />

Managing Partner<br />

Smith, Dukes & Bucklew, LLP<br />

FRANK SOUTHALL<br />

Chief Accounting Officer (retired)<br />

Ruby Tuesday<br />

BILL STEJSKAL<br />

Director of Human Resources<br />

at The Roman Catholic Diocese<br />

of Nashville<br />

TOM STIEHLE<br />

Vice President, Business<br />

Management, CFO and CIO<br />

Ingalls Shipbuilding<br />

DAVID TRENT<br />

Site Director<br />

Airbus<br />

RICHARD WEAVIL<br />

President<br />

The Weavil Company, LLC<br />

TOMMY ZOGHBY<br />

CFO (retired)<br />

Volkert, Inc<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 35


MITCHELL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS<br />

CENTER & DEPARTMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCILS<br />

ACCOUNTING<br />

J. D. BAXTER<br />

CPA, Foosacklys<br />

HARRY BRISLIN IV<br />

Director, University of South Alabama<br />

Technology & Research Park<br />

MICHAEL E. PIERCE<br />

Executive Director, MLK Avenue<br />

Redevelopment Corporation<br />

DAVID LUCKIE<br />

Senior Planner/Project Manager,<br />

IBCR Media, LLC<br />

EARL BLACKMON<br />

CPA, Hartmann, Blackmon & Kilgore, P.C.<br />

SKIP BROWN<br />

CPA, MAFF, Russell, Thompson, Butler<br />

& Houston, LLP<br />

RICHARD BUNTIN<br />

Vice President, Hancock Whitney Bank<br />

MATT CHAMBLESS<br />

Chief Financial Officer, CPSI<br />

NEIL CHRISTOPHER<br />

CPA, Warren Averett<br />

JACKIE CLACKLER<br />

Operations Controller,<br />

Evonik Degussa Corporation<br />

KRISTINA L. DAVIS<br />

CIA, CHFP, Director, IHS Audit<br />

Services<br />

CHRIS GOODRICH<br />

CPA, Fed Corp, Inc.<br />

WILLIAM JAMAR JR.<br />

Manager, Alabama Department<br />

of Revenue<br />

JASON JONES<br />

Controller, The SSI Group, Inc.<br />

M. STACY LASSITER<br />

Regional Controller, Nations Roof<br />

CINDY RATHLE<br />

CPA, Crow Shields Bailey, PC<br />

KELLI KICHLER REID<br />

Finance Director, City of Daphne<br />

JIM ROBERTSON<br />

CPA, Robertson, Andreoli &<br />

Covington, P.C.<br />

JASON SAULTERS<br />

Senior Manager, HORNE LLP<br />

CHRISTY TAYLOR<br />

Controller, Austal USA, LLC<br />

T. J. VICE<br />

Manager, Mostellar & Shreve, LLP<br />

MICAH WHEELER<br />

Senior Accountant, Wilkins Miller LLC<br />

CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE<br />

AND ECONOMIC<br />

DEVELOPMENT<br />

JAMES (JIM) ANDREWS<br />

VP of Economic Development,<br />

Capital One Commercial Banking<br />

J. GAVIN BENDER SR.<br />

President, Bender Real Estate Group<br />

WILEY BLANKENSHIP<br />

President & Chief Executive Officer,<br />

Coastal Alabama Partnership<br />

ALTON R. (TONY) BROWN III<br />

President, The Pelican Group, Inc.<br />

SUSIE CLEVELAND<br />

Executive Officer, Homebuilders<br />

Association of Metro Mobile<br />

KELLY CUMMINGS<br />

Realtor & Broker-Owner,<br />

The Cummings Company<br />

J. REID CUMMINGS<br />

Director, Center for Real Estate &<br />

Economic Development, <strong>Mitchell</strong><br />

College of Business<br />

DANIEL DENNIS<br />

President, Roberts Brothers, Inc.<br />

SHEILA DODSON<br />

CEO, Baldwin County Association<br />

of Realtors<br />

JAMES M. (JIMMY) GRODNICK<br />

President, JMG Realty Company, Inc.<br />

NATHAN HANDMACHER<br />

Sales & Leasing Executive,<br />

Stirling Properties<br />

BILL HARBOUR<br />

GIS Coordinator, Baldwin County<br />

Board of Education<br />

SHEILA HODGES<br />

President, Meyer Real Estate, Inc.<br />

CHARLOTTE KOPF<br />

Manager, Associated General Contractors<br />

of Alabama, Mobile Section<br />

LIBBA LATHAM<br />

Realtor & Educator, LLB&B, Inc.,<br />

Real Estate<br />

LEE METZGER<br />

Regional Director, Real Estate<br />

Facilities Resource Group,<br />

Ascension Health<br />

JEREMY MILLING<br />

President, Milling Commercial Realty<br />

ABE MITCHELL<br />

Principal, <strong>Mitchell</strong> Brothers, LLC<br />

SPENCE MONROE<br />

Realtor & Associate Broker,<br />

Ashurst & Niemeyer, LLC<br />

EDWARD N. (SKEETER) MORRIS JR.<br />

Principal, Courtney & Morris, Inc.<br />

MELISSA MORRISSETTE<br />

Principal, LLB&B, Inc., Real Estate<br />

JEFFREY NEWMAN<br />

Realtor & Associate Broker,<br />

Real Living Norman Realty<br />

TOM OLDWEILER<br />

Partner, Armbrecht Jackson, LLP<br />

JEFFERSON (JEFF) ROUZIE<br />

Director of Economic Development,<br />

City of Foley<br />

L. PAGE STALCUP III<br />

Partner, Wilkins Miller, LLC<br />

JOSHUA TANNER<br />

President & Chief Executive Officer,<br />

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate<br />

Generations<br />

RICHARD WEAVIL<br />

President, The Weavil Company, LLC<br />

TIM WILKES<br />

President, Magnolia Mortage Company<br />

BOB WOOD<br />

Dean, <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business<br />

MARILYN WOOD<br />

Revenue Commissioner (Retired),<br />

Mobile County<br />

ECONOMICS AND FINANCE<br />

BRIAN ALIDOR<br />

Title Insurance President,<br />

Stewart Title<br />

STEPHEN P. BAKER<br />

Senior VP, Investments,<br />

Merrill Lynch, The Baker Group<br />

JOHN C. BELL<br />

Corporate General Counsel,<br />

Pilot Catastrophe Services, Inc.<br />

ROSS BRATLEE<br />

Chief Financial Officer, BBB Industries<br />

RICH CAMPBELL<br />

Community Bank Market President<br />

The First, A National Banking Assn.<br />

ALLAN R. CROW<br />

CFO, Robert J. Baggett, Inc.<br />

MARK DAVIDSON<br />

Director of Investments, Cornerstone<br />

Investment & Management Consulting<br />

MARK FILLERS<br />

South Alabama Market President,<br />

Renasant Bank<br />

CARESSE FINCHER<br />

Financial Representative, Managing<br />

Director, Strategic Wealth Specialists<br />

JASON GREGORY<br />

Managing Partner, Willis Towers<br />

Watson Insurance<br />

DAVID E. HAGAN<br />

First Vice President,<br />

Trustmark National Bank<br />

RICHARD HARVEY<br />

Senior Vice President<br />

Regions Financial<br />

BOB MCGOUGH<br />

Associate Appraiser,<br />

Cushman and Wakefield<br />

JOHN PISARKIEWICZ<br />

Principal Consultant (Retired),<br />

Nathan Associates, Inc.<br />

ERLING RIIS III<br />

VP, Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance Agency<br />

JENNIFER RYDER<br />

Financial Advisor,<br />

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.<br />

JOHN E. THOMPSON<br />

Managing Principal–Senior<br />

Financial Advisor, Thompson Wealth<br />

Management & Life Planning, Inc.<br />

JAGUAR INVESTMENT FUND<br />

TERRY ALBANO<br />

Investment Manager,<br />

University of South Alabama<br />

RALPH ANDERSON<br />

Vice President,<br />

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management<br />

MARK DAVIDSON<br />

Director of Investments, Cornerstone<br />

Investment & Management Consulting<br />

RICHARD HARVEY<br />

Senior Vice President<br />

Regions Financial<br />

CHIP POSEY<br />

VP, Financial Advisor,<br />

BBVA Compass Investment Solutions<br />

JENNIFER RYDER<br />

Financial Advisor,<br />

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.<br />

SCOTT WELDON<br />

VP, Finance & Administration,<br />

University of South Alabama<br />

DOUG WHITMORE<br />

Financial Advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors<br />

MANAGEMENT<br />

LIANA BARNETT<br />

Personnel Director,<br />

Mobile County Personnel Board<br />

JOE CALAGAZ<br />

VP, Printing, Calagaz Group<br />

GARIN DANNER<br />

Director of HR, The SSI Group, LLC<br />

EDWARD DISMUKES<br />

Owner, Wilson Dismukes<br />

SHELBY GLOVER<br />

Project Manager,<br />

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce<br />

SONSHERRAYE GOWDER<br />

HR Manager, World Omni<br />

Financial Corp.<br />

36 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


CHARLES E. JACKSON<br />

Executive & Employee Benefit<br />

Specialist, Life + Legacy Benefits, Inc.<br />

JARED JOHNSON<br />

District Manager and Recruiting<br />

Director, Waffle House<br />

BOB OMAINSKY<br />

President,<br />

Wintzell’s Original Oyster House<br />

RHETT ROSS<br />

President & CEO,<br />

Continental Motors, Inc.<br />

CHARLES SMITH<br />

Residential & Commercial Sales<br />

Manager, Centralite Systems, Inc.<br />

SVETLANA STEVENS<br />

Contract Administrator<br />

US Department of Defense<br />

ANDREW VICKERS<br />

Owner, F45 Training<br />

MARKETING AND<br />

QUANTITATIVE METHODS<br />

JUDITH ADAMS<br />

VP, Marketing, Alabama Port Authority<br />

LESLIE BEARD<br />

General Manager,<br />

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.<br />

JOHN BUSH<br />

Branch Manager,<br />

CPC Office Technologies<br />

ANITA CLARKE<br />

Brand Ambassador, C-Spire<br />

PAMELA DENHAM<br />

Owner, Pamela Denham & Associates<br />

MARY LEE GAY<br />

Marketing Manager, SMG<br />

TODD HENDERSON<br />

Mobile Market President, The First,<br />

A National Banking Association<br />

DUNCAN MILLAR<br />

Sales Manager,<br />

McKibbon Hotel Management<br />

DEAN MINTO<br />

Regional Manger, Sherwin-Williams<br />

KAYLA MORGAN<br />

Manager, Marketing<br />

& Research Development,<br />

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce<br />

MICHAEL B. NEELY<br />

Principal, Perimeter Solutions Group<br />

NATHANIEL PATTERSON<br />

President, Patterson Marketing Group<br />

PAMELA RAMOS-BROWN<br />

CEO, The Ramos Group, LLC<br />

JEFF ROBBINS<br />

Sales Leader,<br />

State Farm Insurance Companies<br />

LYNN ROBINSON<br />

Professor Emeritis,<br />

University of South Alabama<br />

TIFFANY SLATER<br />

Business Development Manager,<br />

Landscape Workshop Gulf Coast<br />

SHELLIE BROOKS TEAGUE<br />

Executive Dir., Mobile Arts Council<br />

MELTON CENTER FOR<br />

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND<br />

INNOVATION<br />

HUNTER ADAMS<br />

Attorney, AdamsIP, LLC<br />

RAYMOND BELL<br />

Maynard, Cooper, and Gale<br />

HARRY BRISLIN IV<br />

Director, University of South<br />

Alabama Technology &<br />

Research Park<br />

WILL BRUCE<br />

William Bruce Business<br />

Owner, Sales & Acquisitions<br />

SEAN BRYANT<br />

Corporate Development,<br />

Brett/Robinson Real Estate and<br />

Development<br />

ANDREW E. BYRD<br />

Director, Office of Commercialization<br />

& Industry Collaboration<br />

University of South Alabama<br />

JEFF CARTER<br />

CEO, Frios Gourmet Pops<br />

MIKE DOW<br />

President and CEO<br />

Coastal Strategic Services<br />

CAROLINE DOYLE<br />

Partner, New York Life Insurance<br />

LINCOLN LEE HAMMONS<br />

Managing Director<br />

Oakworth Capital Bank<br />

KRISTI JULY<br />

Signature Academy Coordinator<br />

Mobile County Public Schools<br />

CLARK KELLY<br />

Retired, L & M Welding Supply<br />

MONICA LOPEZ<br />

Global Sr. Leader Media, Research<br />

and Analytics for Adult Incontinence<br />

and Feminine Care, Kimberly-Clark<br />

Corporation<br />

JEFF MACKIN<br />

Director of Enterprise Sales South,<br />

C-Spire<br />

JEFF MARCUS<br />

COO and Co-Founder, Shipshape<br />

Urban Farms<br />

CLAIRE MCCARRON<br />

Private Banker, Hancock Whitney<br />

Bank<br />

MELINDA MCGHEE<br />

Mortgage Banker, Renasant Bank<br />

JOHN R. NIX<br />

Attorney, John R. Nix, LLC<br />

DEAN PARKER JR.<br />

Entrepreneur, Vita Capital<br />

MONIQUE PETTAWAY<br />

Signature Academy Specialist<br />

Williamson High School<br />

JEFF SCHOCK<br />

CFO, ASF Logistics<br />

DENNIS SHERRIN<br />

CPA, Hartmon, Blackmon, & Kilgore, PC<br />

RON SIVAK<br />

Business Editor, Lagniappe Weekly<br />

HAYLEY VAN ANTWERP<br />

Executive Director<br />

Innovation PortAL<br />

MEL WASHINGTON<br />

Regional Manager, Small Business<br />

Development Center<br />

VICKIE WYATT<br />

Vice President, Wonderland Express, Inc.<br />

PROFESSIONAL<br />

READINESS ENGAGEMENT<br />

PROGRAM<br />

BRENT BARKIN<br />

President & CEO, Shoe Station<br />

EUNICE MINGO BLAKELY<br />

Director of Behavioral Health<br />

Franklin Primary Health Center, Inc.<br />

JENNIFER BUSBY<br />

Human Resources Manager<br />

The SSI Group, LLC<br />

DAVID CHILELLI<br />

Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch<br />

JEREMY DOGGETTE<br />

Senior Representative, Team Member<br />

Relations, AM/NS Calvert<br />

MARY CARON DOWNING<br />

HR Manager<br />

Continental Motors, Inc.<br />

ANGELA DUNN<br />

Vice President, Middle Market<br />

Banking, Hancock Whitney Bank<br />

JAMES FOLEY<br />

Managing Partner,<br />

Fairhope Brewing Company<br />

RAMONICA DAY GAMBLE<br />

Owner/Business Strategist,<br />

Ramonica Gamble Consulting<br />

CADIE GAUT<br />

Co-Owner & Operations Manager,<br />

Payroll Vault<br />

ANNA MARIE GILCHRIST<br />

Owner/Agent, The Gilchrist Agency -<br />

Farmers Insurance<br />

JEFF JOHNSTON<br />

Corporate Counsel, Shoe Station<br />

DARCY KAUL<br />

The Fort of Colonial Mobile<br />

JORDAN DIAZ LEDESMA<br />

Human Resources Business Partner<br />

Chevron Pascagoula Refinery<br />

ARMONDO LOVE<br />

Director of Training and Development<br />

Wind Creek Hospitality<br />

CRAIG SAVAGE<br />

Director of Communications & State<br />

and Local Affairs, Austal USA<br />

MARK SPIVEY<br />

Vice President, Commercial Banking,<br />

BB&T Bank<br />

JAY STUBBS<br />

Regional Director, First Protective<br />

DENSON WHITE<br />

Client Services, APM Terminals Mobile<br />

TIM WILLS<br />

Chief Executive Officer<br />

Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 37


MITCHELL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS<br />

SELECTED FACULTY PUBLICATIONS<br />

Affuso, E., Caudill, S. B., Mixon Jr.,<br />

F. G., Starnes, K. W. (in press). Is<br />

Airport Proximity an Amenity or<br />

Disamenity? An Empirical Investigation<br />

based on House Prices. Land<br />

Economics.<br />

Bordere, J., Grant, C. T. (2018).<br />

New Lease Accounting Standard<br />

Implementation: What Auditors<br />

Should Know. Internal Auditing,<br />

33 (6/November/December 2018),<br />

5-10. 5811 USA Dr. S., MLRC 254<br />

Chiu, V., Liu, Q., Muehlmann, B.,<br />

Baldwin, A. A. (<strong>2019</strong>). A Bibliometric<br />

Analysis of Accounting<br />

Information Systems Journals and<br />

Their Emerging Technologies Contributions.<br />

International Journal of<br />

Accounting Information Systems,<br />

32, 24-43. www.journals.elsevier.<br />

com/international-journal-of-accounting-information-systems/<br />

Cummings, J. R., Lahtinen, K. D.,<br />

Hunsader, K. (2018). Real Estate<br />

Pre-License Education Reporting:<br />

A National Call for Transparency.<br />

Journal of Real Estate Practice and<br />

Education, 21 (1), 77-84.<br />

Cummings, J. R., Martinez, J. A.,<br />

Mills, M. (<strong>2019</strong>). The Increasing<br />

Trend in Commercial Real Estate<br />

Lending by Community Banks: The<br />

Role of Deliberate Risk-Taking,<br />

2001-2017. <strong>2019</strong> Academy of Business<br />

Research <strong>Spring</strong> International<br />

Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana:<br />

Proceedings for the Academy<br />

of Business Research.<br />

Gillis, W., Combs, J. G., Yin, X.<br />

(in press). Franchise management<br />

capabilities and franchisor performance<br />

under alternative franchise<br />

ownership strategies. Journal of<br />

Business Venturing.<br />

Hair, J., Bob G. Wood, Sharland,<br />

A. (<strong>2019</strong>). Towards a Better Understanding<br />

of the Australian Business<br />

Deans Council (ABDC) List and Its<br />

Rankings. International Journal<br />

of Education Management, 33 (4),<br />

644-650.<br />

Hair, J. (<strong>2019</strong>). Rethinking Some<br />

of the Rethinking of Partial Least<br />

Squares Structural Equation<br />

Modeling,” (<strong>2019</strong>th ed.). European<br />

Journal of Marketing. https://doi.<br />

org/10.1108/EJM-10-2018-0665.<br />

Hair, J. (2018). Addressing<br />

Endogeneity in International<br />

Marketing Applications of Partial<br />

Least Squares Structural Equation<br />

Modeling (3rd ed., vol. 26, pp. 1-21).<br />

Journal of International Marketing.<br />

Hair, J. (2018). Marketing<br />

Research in the 21st Century:<br />

Opportunities and Challenges (5th<br />

ed., vol. 17, pp. 666-681). Brazilian<br />

Journal of Marketing.<br />

Hair, J. (<strong>2019</strong>). A Taxonomy for<br />

Financial Services Selling. Journal<br />

of Personal Selling & Sales Management.<br />

https://www.tandfonline.<br />

com/doi/full/10.1080/08853134.20<br />

18.1544078<br />

Hair, J. (<strong>2019</strong>). Business Ethics,<br />

Corporate Social Responsibility,<br />

and Brand Attitudes: An Exploratory<br />

Study (vol. 95, pp. 491-501).<br />

Journal of Business Research.<br />

Hair, J. (<strong>2019</strong>). Marketing and<br />

branding in family business: Assessing<br />

the landscape and charting<br />

a path forward (1st ed., vol. 10, pp.<br />

3-7). Journal of Family Business<br />

Strategy.<br />

Hair, J. (<strong>2019</strong>). Methodological<br />

research on partial least squares<br />

structural equation modeling<br />

(PLS-SEM): A Social Network<br />

Analysi. Internet Research. https://<br />

www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/<br />

abs/10.1108/IntR-12-2017-0509<br />

Hair, J. (<strong>2019</strong>). When to Use and<br />

How to Report the Results of<br />

PLS-SEM (1st ed., vol. 31, pp. 2-27).<br />

European Business Review.<br />

Hair, J. (2018). The Influence of<br />

Organizational Culture on How<br />

We Define and Pursue Goals: the<br />

Value of Regulatory Focus (3rd<br />

ed., vol. 5, pp. 259-277). Journal of<br />

Organizational Effectiveness: People<br />

and Performance. https://doi.<br />

org/10.1108/JOEPP-03-2018-0017<br />

Hardin, J. R., Prescott, G.,<br />

Rich, J. (<strong>2019</strong>). Income Tax and<br />

Reporting Implications of Life<br />

Insurance Settlements. Practical<br />

Tax Strategies/Thomson Reuters,<br />

102(4), 9-18.<br />

Howard, M. C., Crayne, M. P.<br />

(2018). Persistence: Defining the<br />

Multidimensional Construct and<br />

Creating a Measure. Personality<br />

and Individual Differences, 139,<br />

77-89.<br />

Howard, M. C. (2018). Applying<br />

the approach/avoidance framework<br />

to understand the relationships<br />

between social courage, workplace<br />

outcomes, and well-being<br />

outcomes. Journal of Positive<br />

Psychology, Online First (Online<br />

First), 1 - 15.<br />

Howard, M., Rose, J. (in press).<br />

Refining and extending task-technology<br />

fit theory: Creation of two<br />

task-technology fit scales and empirical<br />

clarification of the construct.<br />

Information & Management.<br />

Howard, M. C. (2018). Task performance<br />

influences general self-efficacy,<br />

even without increases in the<br />

skills required to achieve success.<br />

The Journal of Social Psychology,<br />

Online First (Online First), 1 - 6.<br />

Howard, M. (2018). The measurement,<br />

nomological net, and theory<br />

of perceived self-esteem instability:<br />

Applying the conservation of<br />

resources theory to understand the<br />

construct. Psychological Reports, In<br />

Press (In Press), In Press.<br />

Huang, Y., Sunderman, M., Ozdenerol,<br />

E. (<strong>2019</strong>). The Value of Greenways:<br />

Memphis Greenline as a<br />

Case. Journal of Housing Research<br />

Huang, Y., Sunderman, M., Spahr,<br />

R. (<strong>2019</strong>). The Impact of Default<br />

and Foreclosure on Housing Values:<br />

Rings Vs. Neighborhoods Approach.<br />

The Journal of Real Estate<br />

Finance and Economics, 1-37.<br />

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11146-018-9691-y<br />

Istiak, K., Serletis, A. (2018).<br />

Economic Policy Uncertainty and<br />

Real Output: Evidence from the G7<br />

Countries. Applied Economics, 50,<br />

4222-4233.<br />

Lahtinen, K. D., Shipe, S. (2018).<br />

Compensation of Investment<br />

Advisors. The Journal of Investing,<br />

27 (1), 80-86.<br />

Lawrey, C. M., Morris, B. (<strong>2019</strong>).<br />

Firm Diversification and Abnormal<br />

Returns. Journal of Asset Management.<br />

Le, H. B. (2018). The Wright<br />

Amendment repealed: the price and<br />

traffic effects at Fort-Worth and<br />

Love Field. Journal of Transport<br />

Economics and Policy.<br />

Pearce, Craig L., Bob G. Wood,<br />

and Christina Wassenaar, “The<br />

Future of Academic Leadership: Is<br />

Shared Leadership the Answer?”<br />

Public Administration Review, 78<br />

(4),640-644, 2018<br />

Pearce, C. L., Wassenaar, C.<br />

L., Berson, Y., Tuval-Mashiach,<br />

R. (<strong>2019</strong>). Toward a theory of<br />

meta-paradoxical leadership. Organizational<br />

Behavior and Human<br />

Decision Processes.<br />

Sharland, A. (2018). Commentary:<br />

When Kraft came calling on Cadbury.<br />

Thunderbird International<br />

Business Review. www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15206874<br />

Turnipseed, D., Landay, K. (in<br />

press). The Role of the Dark Triad<br />

in Perceptions of Academic Incivility.<br />

Elsevier Limited.<br />

Webster, B. D., Smith, M. B. (in<br />

press). The dark triad and organizational<br />

citizenship behaviors: The<br />

moderating role of high involvement<br />

management. Journal of Business<br />

and Psychology.<br />

38 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>


INVEST<br />

IN THE<br />

COLLEGE<br />

Financial support dramatically impacts the lives of the students in the<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong> College of Business. Your support makes us who we are today and<br />

directly affects tomorrow’s business leaders.<br />

STUDENTS<br />

The enrollment, education and graduation<br />

of outstanding students is of paramount<br />

importance to the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College of<br />

Business. Employers and other external<br />

constituents benefit from inspired graduates<br />

entering the workforce. In order to attract<br />

these students, the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College<br />

must offer competitive scholarships. The<br />

<strong>Mitchell</strong>-Moulton Scholarship Initiative<br />

matches any endowed undergraduate<br />

scholarship gift dollar-for-dollar.<br />

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT SPOTLIGHT<br />

HONG NGUYEN, FINANCE AND ECONOMICS, CLASS OF <strong>2019</strong><br />

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that the <strong>Mitchell</strong> Scholarship has<br />

given me! As a first-generation college student, this competitive scholarship<br />

has allowed me to afford the costs of higher education. I was able to pursue<br />

a double major in accounting and finance while remaining on a four-year<br />

track, due to the financial relief that the scholarship has provided. Additionally,<br />

I received networking and mentorship opportunities from professionals<br />

within my field of study. This opened the avenue for internship opportunities<br />

in financial-related roles for me, allowing me to gain valuable professional<br />

experience. Having received a quality education and those professional<br />

experiences has prepared me for life beyond graduation. Being a <strong>Mitchell</strong><br />

Scholar has allowed me to remain academically disciplined, achieve career<br />

goals and push for personal growth.”<br />

THREE AREAS OF PRIORITY FOR THE COLLEGE INCLUDE:<br />

ACADEMIC<br />

ENHANCEMENT<br />

Advances in technology, changes in<br />

classroom design and active-learning<br />

teaching methods have drastically<br />

changed the educational environment.<br />

In order to maximize learning outcomes,<br />

the <strong>Mitchell</strong> College must incorporate<br />

these advances into the classroom. Join<br />

us as we embark on a campaign to update<br />

(classrooms and other) <strong>Mitchell</strong> College<br />

of Business learning environments.<br />

THE INTERNATIONAL<br />

EMPHASIS PROJECT<br />

Our students will enter an increasingly<br />

complex and competitive global<br />

economy. Research and experience<br />

show that students who participate in<br />

global immersion opportunities are<br />

better prepared for competition in<br />

the global economy. The goal of our<br />

international emphasis project is to<br />

ensure the affordability of study abroad<br />

opportunities for all interested students.<br />

MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong> | 39


5811 USA South Drive<br />

Mobile, Alabama 36688<br />

40 | MITCHELL | SPRING <strong>2019</strong>

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